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Our Story

DCI was founded in 1971 in Nashville, TN, as a not-for-profit dialysis provider by Dr. H. Keith Johnson, a Nashville-based nephrologist. At that time, there was no Medicare funding for dialysis, and most patients did not have insurance coverage for dialysis. This meant that many patients couldn’t afford treatment and would face the difficult choice of mortgaging their homes, selling their farms, spending their children’s college funds, or worse yet, returning home without treatment.

Dr. Johnson and his team refused to benefit from this situation and pursued not-for-profit status from day one, while earmarking excess revenues for kidney disease research and education. The team was relentless in finding funding for patients who couldn’t afford treatment. Using Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets, DCI doctors and staff collected donations at some of Nashville’s busiest intersections on weekend afternoons. These donations sustained clinic operations until the Medicare ESRD Program began paying for outpatient dialysis in 1973, and patients across the U.S. were eligible for funding to continue dialysis treatment.

This single clinic (Dialysis Clinic, Inc.), caring for eight patients who were awaiting a kidney transplant in Nashville, has since grown to serve more than 14,000 patients at more than 240 locations across the United States. Simultaneously, through the founding of its subsidiaries, including DCI Donor Services and REACH Kidney Care, DCI has evolved to find ways to care for patients along the broader kidney health continuum.

Today, DCI remains the only national, independent, not-for-profit dialysis provider in the United States. We have intentionally remained a not-for-profit organization while continuing to invest in innovative care delivery models that support patients along their kidney health journey.

Dr. Doug Johnson and Dr. H. Keith Johnson

Camp Okawehna

For most children with kidney disease in the early 1970s, attending a summer camp simply wasn’t an option. The emotional, physical and financial burden of dialysis treatments extinguished their hopes for a traditional “camp” experience. Camp Okawehna, affectionately called “Camp O,” changed that in 1975, and since then, hundreds of campers have experienced the fun and adventure of summer camp in a safe and welcoming environment.

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DCI Laboratory

DCI responded to our nephrologists’ requests and founded our laboratory in 1988 to provide full-service laboratory services, with specific focus on the needs of dialysis patients.

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DCI Pharmacy

The DCI Pharmacy is an independent pharmacy staffed by a team of pharmacists specializing in kidney care and related conditions. This team works closely with clinical leadership and patient care teams to provide relevant drug information and analytical data. The DCI Pharmacy also fills bundled ESRD prescriptions and provides guidance and strategies to improve quality in our dialysis centers and associated service lines.

OneDCI

In pursuit of DCI’s broader mission, “The care of the patient is our reason for existence,” it is vital to recruit, promote and retain employees with diverse backgrounds. Our common goal of superior patient care must be facilitated in an environment that respects and celebrates differences.

OneDCI is DCI’s commitment to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion within DCI by creating a culture of respect and social sensitivity.

Contact DCI

DCI is here to help you. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with kidney disease, you want to learn more about our services or you are interested in working with DCI, we want to hear from you.

Contact DCI
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