Global Medical Office Dialogues

Dr. Doris Fuertinger, Fresenius Medical Care's Head of Computational Medicine, discusses the use of science-based systemic modeling tools to test a spectrum of hypotheses about the future impact of novel therapeutic interventions on populations with kidney disease.

Generative AI represents a paradigm shift in the landscape of healthcare, offering unprecedented potential to revolutionize patient care, diagnosis, and treatment methodologies. However, amid its promising advancements substantial and daunting risks remain. Dr. Hanjie Zhang, Senior Director of computational statistics and artificial Intelligence at the Renal Research Institute in New York discusses the benefits and risks of Generative AI in healthcare.

Dr. Giovanni Strippoli, Professor of Nephrology at University of Bari, Italy, discusses how the CONVINCE study results will contribute to reaching a higher level of certainty regarding the comparative efficacy of hemodiafiltration (HDF) versus HD in people with end-stage kidney disease.

Michelle Carver, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Nursing and Clinical Services at Fresenius Kidney Care discusses the benefits and challenges of patients dialyzing at home.

Luca Neri, Senior Director of Clinical Advanced Analytics at Fresenius Medical Care, discusses Anemia Management with AI and computational modeling.

Integrated evidence-generation represent a fundamental shift in the way evidence is generated across functions, geographies, and phases of the product or asset life cycle, and as such entails considerable effort to implement. Manuela Stauss-Grabo, PhD, leads the Global Biomedical Evidence Generation Team within Fresenius Medical Care's Global Medical Office.

Rachel Meyer the Strategic Policy Advisor at the American Society of Nephrology and Sharon Pearce, Senior Vice President of Governance Affairs at National Kidney Foundation discuss the changes in U.S. policy regarding organ transplantation.   Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Modernization Initiative: https://www.hrsa.gov/optn-modernization “Dialysis Facility Profit Status and Early Steps in Kidney Transplantation in the Southeastern United States” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8216615/ “Disparities in kidney transplant waitlisting among young patients without medical comorbidities” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37782509/ “Patient Preferences for Waiting Time and Kidney Quality” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9625104/ H.R.2923 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2023: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2923?s=1&r=9 National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC): https://www.livingdonorassistance.org/ H.R.6171 - Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act of 2023:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6171  

By combining clinical and patient-reported end points, the CONVINCE trial is unique and affords opportunities for improving patient health status and treatment goals. Krister Cromm, Fresenius Medical Care's Director Person-Centered Outcomes Research, discuss the company's evolution from disease-centered to person-centered integrated trial design.

David Rhew, Microsoft's Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Healthcare, discusses ChatGPT's uses in healthcare.

Dr. Brigitte Schiller, Fresenius Medical Care's senior vice president for home therapies, discusses the ecosystem and opportunities for patients to do dialysis in their own home. 

Dr. Frank Maddux discusses the potential impact of GLP-1 Receptor agonists and  SGLT-2 Inhibitors on chronic kidney disease care.  

Dr. Matthias Rose, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin discusses the integration of patient-reported outcomes in the CONVINCE study.

Investigators from Wake Forest University and the Renal Research Institute are conducting a study, funded by PCORI, to find out if an incremental HD treatment plan is safe and beneficial to patients with residual kidney function. Jochen Raimann, the director of data analytics for the Renal Research Institute, discusses the study and its potential benefits for patients.

Dr. Isaac “Zak” Kohane, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School discusses the adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare.  

Dr. Dr. Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, of The George Institute for Global Health in India discusses health inequality and how it manifests in communities. 

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that connected health technologies make healthcare more effective and efficient. Connected health delivers many benefits including expanded access to care, safety, better disease management, improved medication adherence, and reduced hospitalizations and readmissions. Dr. Shelly Nash Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer  for the Global Medical Office at Fresenius Medical Care discusses the benefits of connected health. 

Prof. Peter Blankestijn discusses the results of the multi-center CONVINCE Study including how the use of hemodiafiltration impacts patient morbidity and all-cause mortality as well as patient-reported outcomes. The results were presented at the ERA EDTA conference in June of 2023.

APOL1-c is a kidney disorder associated with certain APOL1 genetic mutations, often found in people of Western and Central African descent. The disease can lead to kidney cell injury, cell death and damage to the glomeruli, which filters blood in the kidney. This leads to abnormal amounts of protein in the urine and decreased kidney function.   Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals discusses the company's research into the underlying cause of APOL1-mediated kidney disease.

People with kidney disease often present with cognitive dysfunction ranging from mild impairment to dementia often effecting memory, language skills, attention span, and other functions including depression.  Nephrologist Mark Unruh, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of New Mexico, discusses cognitive impairment in patients with Chronic kidney disease and his research to find targeted interventions to address these challenges.

Human Acellular Vessels are bioengineered blood conduits which have shown great promise in clinical trials for vascular applications, including arteriovenous access for hemodialysis, peripheral arterial disease, and trauma repair. Dr. Laura Niklason, Founder and CEO of Humacyte, discusses this promising technology and its recent deployment as humanitarian aid for repairing vascular trauma in Ukraine.

The US Social Security Amendments of 1972 extended universal Medicare coverage to individuals with End Stage Kidney Disease who need either dialysis or transplantation to maintain life. In this episode of GMO Dialogues, Robert Sepucha, CEO of InterWell health talks about how this legislation changed the trajectory of kidney disease care in the United States, and led to value-based care models of today.

Through data analytics, data engineering, research, collaborative partnerships, and publications, Fresenius Medical Care's Clinical Advanced Analytics team monitors post-market product devices and product performance in the clinic environment. Dr. Len Usvyat, the Global Medical Office's head of Clinical Advanced Analytics, talks about how real-world data generated by devices is used to improve the care of people living with kidney disease.

The US Social Security Amendments of 1972 extended Medicare coverage to individuals with End Stage Kidney Disease who need either dialysis or transplantation to maintain life. In this episode of Dialogues noted medical researcher and economist, Dr. Philip Held, talks about the 50th anniversary of this landmark legislation and how it changed the trajectory of kidney disease care in the United States, and beyond.

The escalating incidence of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria contributes to a reported 700,000 deaths annually, that number is expected to soar to over 10 million by 2050.  Timely, actionable information is necessary to provide effective treatments quickly to drug-resistant infections. Dr. Miriam Huntley, the Chief Technology Officer for Day Zero Diagnostics, talks about their efforts to improve infectious disease diagnosis and treatment with genomic sequencing and machine learning to solve antibiotic resistance.

There are many obstacles to transplantation for individuals living with kidney disease, ranging from barriers getting on waiting lists to organ rejection. Nephrologist, Dr. Sumit Mohan, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University, joins us to discuss strategies to address inequities in access to transplantation and why transplantation remains a vital therapy option for people living with advanced kidney disease.

The mission of United States Renal Data System (USRDS) is to document the impact of kidney disease on the US population. They support research and policy initiatives designed to improve the care of individuals living with kidney disease.  One means of doing that is the publication of the Annual Data Report, an authoritative source of data about the magnitude, characteristics, treatment, and costs of care in the US. One important aspect of this data focuses on racial and ethnic disparities in incidence and prevalence of CKD and ESRD and in access to treatment of these conditions. Dr. Kirsten Johansen, Chief of Nephrology at Hennepin Healthcare, professor of medicine at the university of Minnesota, and deputy editor for the Clinical Journal of ASN, joins us to discuss racial and ethnic disparities at USRDS. 

Originally developed to treat diabetes, SGLT2 inhibitors are potentially groundbreaking in slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease. Recent studies indicate SGLT-2 inhibitors hold promise for slowing CKD progression and for treating heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. Dr. Michael Anger, Fresenius Medical Care's chief medical officer for the Renal Therapies Group, joins this episode to discuss how SGLT-2 inhibitors can be used to intervene earlier with kidney disease patients and improve overall patient health.

Including patient-reported outcomes (PROs), in clinical trials, opens new and meaningful pathways to understanding medical care from the patient's point of view. By combining clinical and patient-reported end points, trials featuring PROs can identify opportunities to improve patient health status and define treatment goals.  Krister Cromm, Fresenius Medical Care's expert director of patient experience for clinical research, is leading the company's evolution from disease-centered to person-centered integrated trial design. 

People with kidney disease receiving dialysis have poor health-related quality of life. By considering biomedical and patient-reported outcomes when conducting research and measuring care quality, we can enrich our understanding of patient experiences and identify opportunities to improve patient health status by aligning treatment goals with issues important to patients.    In this episode of GMO Dialogues, Dr. Jennifer Flythe, Associate Professor of Medicine at UNC School of Medicine, discusses Patient Related Outcome Measures and how they can improve the quality of patient care. 

The Covid 19 pandemic has taken a large psychological toll on physicians and other healthcare workers worldwide.  This global crisis has brought Mental Health concerns into our everyday conversations.    Dr. Felicia Speed, Fresenius Medical Care's vice president of social work services, has seen first-hand the cascading impact burnout has on physicians, clinical staff, and patients.  She has worked with the American Society of Nephrology to develop mental health modules for healthcare professionals and shares her insights in this episode. 

The Chinese Mainland with a population of more than 1.4 billion people faces a huge, growing burden of kidney diseases. Significant advances in nephrology have been made over the past 40 years in clinical practice, research, and academic development.  Nephrologist Grace Yan, Chief Medical Officer for Fresenius Kidney Care China, discusses the challenges and future of renal care in China.

End-stage kidney disease significantly impacts an individual's quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. There is a growing body of evidence to support that patients with chronic conditions, who take an active role in their care report better clinical outcomes. Nephrologist Kolitha Basnayake is Fresenius Medical Care's Country Medical Director for the United Kingdom and Ireland. He is a champion for the transformation and delivery of home dialysis in the United Kingdom. Dr. Bosnayake discusses how quality improvement programs must address barriers to shared hemodialysis care for the individual.

Preclinical and epidemiological studies have shown an association between acidosis and the progression of chronic kidney disease. Emerging evidence suggests that bicarbonate treatment may slow the progression of CKD and reduce the risk of kidney failure. Nephrologist Nilufar Mohebbi, Fresenius Medical Care's Chief Medical Director for Switzerland, is investigating the effect of alkali therapy on graft function in kidney transplant recipients with metabolic acidosis. The goal is to extend the life of transplanted organs in renal patients.

Healthcare's use of digital technology has changed significantly in the past decade. From on-line patient records, to telemedicine, to connected health.  As the healthcare industry evolves with new technology and legislation, identifying security threats and keeping patient data safe, is a top priority. Anjana Harve, Fresenius Medical Care's Chief Information Office, talks about cybersecurity and the use of health information systems to improve the quality of care for patients.

Current equations that use serum creatinine incorporate age, sex, and race to estimate measured Glomerular Filtration Rate. Inclusion of race in these equations and other medical algorithms is facing increased scrutiny because race is a social, not a biologic construct. Its inclusion may contribute to systemic racism in medicine. Nephrologist Amaka Eneanya, assistant professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania's, Perelman School of Medicine, is an advocate for eliminating race from the formula, and the author of a wave-making paper that helped propel the issue to a national stage.

Fluid management is a critical component of dialysis and has come a long way. The Renal Research Institute developed its own Ultrafiltration Controller which continuously compares the patient's Relative Blood Volume profile to the target curve and makes Ultrafiltration rate adjustments. Dr. Lemuel Fuentes, Supervisor of Clinical Research at RRI discusses this innovation and its designation as a US Food and Drug Administration 21st Century Breakthrough Device.

Improving vascular access care is key to improving outcomes for people receiving hemodialysis.   In this edition of Global Medical Office Dialogues our guest is Dr. Walead Latif, an interventional nephrologist and vascular access care expert.  A Medical Director at Azura Vascular Care in the United States, Dr. Latif weighs in on improving patient outcomes by addressing challenges and opportunities in vascular access. 

Improving access to kidney transplantation on a worldwide basis is a vital next step for global healthcare. In this episode of Dialogues, transplant expert, Dr. Ben Hippen, MD, FASN, FAST, Senior Vice President of Transplant Medicine for Fresenius Medical Care, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing global transplantation and why transplantation remains a vital therapy option for people living with advanced kidney disease. 

Expanding our scientific understanding of the effectiveness and safety of interventions for individuals with End Stage Kidney Disease is an important goal of researchers.   In this episode of Dialogues, we'll talk with Dr. Linda Ficociello and Dr. Anke Winter, two Fresenius Medical Care experts in epidemiology and research.   They discuss ways Real World Evidence can complement existing research in gaining new and valuable insights that improve kidney disease care. 

In this episode of Dialogues, we talk with two of the world's leading authorities on chronic kidney disease, Drs. Bernard Canaud and Allan Collins, Senior Chief Scientists at Fresenius Medical Care. We discuss how addressing common, manageable complications through personalized renal replacement therapy can improve cardiac outcomes in hemodialysis patients.

Nephrology has been under-represented in clinical research, even as rapid progress in gene sequencing and analysis has led to precision medicine advances in other medical areas like oncology and cardiology. Ali Gharavi, MD, Chief of the Division of Nephrology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, discusses how genomic and phenotypic research can help scientists better understand how genetic variations in patients with chronic kidney disease can lead to more precise diagnoses and therapies that help improve outcomes by individualizing care.

The evidence for genetic drivers in kidney diseases is substantial, but much larger data sets will be needed to untangle the complex interactions that lead to kidney injury. Kurt Mussina, President of Frenova Renal Research, talks about Frenova's efforts to develop the largest renal-focused genomic registry in the world. Containing genetic sequencing data from chronic kidney disease patients around the globe, data from the registry will be used by researchers to improve understanding of kidney disease.

In part two of our exploration of Food Is Medicine, veteran health and wellness expert Allison Hess, Vice President of Health Innovations at Geisinger, discusses the company's successful Fresh Foods Farmacy.  By providing fresh, healthy food to those most in need, Allison and team are shining a light on the vital role healthy foods play in improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Amir Sapkota, professor at the University of Maryland, talks about the effects climate change has on health outcomes.  He discusses the relationships between frequency of extreme events, changes in plant phenology, and increased risk of respiratory diseases.  Dr. Sapkota is developing public health strategies to combat the effects of a changing climate.


Biochemist Nadja Grobe, supervisor of lab research at the Renal Research Institute, discusses how metabolomic signatures can be used to deliver more personal, precise care for patients living with kidney disease.  By learning from these unique biomarkers, researchers are at the forefront of developing the future of personalized medicine.

We continue our look at Translating Science Into Medicine by talking with Dr. Doris Fuertinger, Director of Biomathematical Modeling and Simulation at Fresenius Medical Care.  Dr. Fuertinger and her team are using complex mathematics and real-life data to create patient Avatars that can help predict an individual's physiological response to a certain treatment.  These realistic simulations of clinical trials can help overcome the limitations of traditional approaches and lead to new improvements in patient outcomes.

Phenomena such as extreme heat events are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity and the trend is projected to continue.  Dr. Peter Kotanko, research director at the Renal Research Institute, talks about how extreme climate events might affect vulnerable patient populations, such as those with end stage kidney disease.

Scientists at the Renal Research Institute have created a mobile app using vascular access images to identify and classify aneurysms that may pose a risk to patients. Hanjie Zhang, biostatistician at RRI and an expert in artificial intelligence and machine learning, tells us about the app and how artificial intelligence can help recognize patterns in data, automatically flag potential problems, and improve personalized patient care.

Translational research is an effort to build on scientific advances to create new therapies and diagnostics that advance patient care.  Dr. Peter Kotanko, research director at the Renal Research Institute, talks about the quest to reimagine the future of kidney care by both seeing and focusing on new and evolving science that can benefit patients.

We talk with nephrologist Dugan Maddux, MD, PhD, FACP, about efforts to address food insecurity and other social determinants of health outcomes in order to slow disease progression and help patients live healthier lives.