Dialysis Patient Citizens, INC

Mission: DPC is a nonprofit patient organization dedicated to improving dialysis patients' quality of life by developing awareness of dialysis issues, advocating for dialysis patients, improving the partnership between patients and caregivers, and promoting favorable public policy.

Charter: We believe patients' quality of life is best improved by:

-Advancing self care. We believe that an important element in improving the quality of life of dialysis patients is a commitment to self care. We feel we can advance patient self care through advocacy, education and motivation.

-Fostering and strengthening partnerships among patients and caregivers. We believe patient quality of life is improved when caregivers and patients care about each other as real people. Specifically, we believe active participation in programs and initiatives that help patients in dialysis centers and elsewhere strengthens the dialysis community

-Achieving optimal dialysis-related funding. We believe quality care can only continue to improve if government rules and regulations provide for optimal funding for dialysis and related products and services. We believe this is best achieved by educating, understanding, building credibility with key government officials, and respecting the need for strong clinical returns on government expenditures.

-Ensuring up-to-date, optimal clinical protocols. We believe that adoption, by entities and organizations such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Fiscal Intermediaries, of optimal, up-to-date clinical protocols that respect the medical community's judgment is essential for maximum quality care.