OGDENSBURG -- The Dr. Ravinder N. Agarwal Renal Center at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center received its annual dialysis facility review from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which puts it in the top 3 percent of centers nationwide.

An annual review is made of all renal service providers and is mandated by the CMS, which oversees the care provided to all renal patients

The review establishes the Agarwal Renal Center as a top performer compared to other centers in New York State and nationwide, based on 2006-2009 mortality rate for kidney failure patients

Claxton-Hepburn also says the center performed favorably in other areas reported, which include adequacy of dialysis, infection rate, anemia management, hospitalization rate, length of hospital stay and transplantation rate.

Nephrologist Dr. Masavi Jaitly, had high praise for the nurses, technicians, social workers, dietitians and physicians who “make it possible for our Renal Center to reach these great numbers.”

Director of the Agarwal Renal Center, Rich Pandel, RN, added, “Our success in patient care is directly attributed to our multidisciplinary team. Each patient at our renal center has a care plan developed, which ensures their needs are addressed.”

Dialysis services began at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in 1968. In 1999, a freestanding dialysis center was opened next to the Medical Center.

For more information about the Agarwal Renal Center, or the 2009 Dialysis Facility Report, call 713-6800.