For the first time ever, patients can have access to previously secret government information about survival rates at specific dialysis clinics. ProPublica got the info through a Freedom of Information Act request and has put it together in an easily searchable database. This is important because some of these places, especially if they’re for-profit, have pretty bad track records at keeping their patients alive.

To use it, simply enter in your address or the address of the clinic you’re interested in checking out. The database will you show you data on the four closest facilities to that address. That info includes the deaths per 100 patients, patient death rate vs expected death rate, deaths during first year of treatment per 100 patient years, and first year death rate vs expected deathrate, for the years 2006-2009. In addition it shows data on hospital admissions, infections, transplants and more.

Check out the database here.

Dialysis Facility Tracker [ProPublica]
Dialysis Data, Once Confidential, Shines Light on Clinic Disparities [ProPublica]

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For-Profit Dialysis Centers Have Higher Mortality Rates, Up To 24%
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