Emergency Response
You Can Depend on USRC
Our Office of Disaster Management partners with federal, state, and local governments, meteorologists, volunteer organizations, and utility companies during emergency situations or natural disasters to ensure patient care is uninterrupted. We also work closely with other dialysis providers to ensure anyone who needs dialysis, regardless of where they are usually treated, receives care.
How we support our patients
We communicate quickly and efficiently to ensure your care is uninterrupted. In the event of an emergency, we activate our emergency response team and stand up regular calls before, during, and after the event. We leverage our national partners to deploy resources and enable real-time emergency response. A disaster hotline is made available during times of need should you require assistance.
Our facilities will extend hours, modify schedules, and add extra shifts to provide dialysis treatment in preparation for a natural disaster.
During an emergency or natural disaster, we supply all patients with emergency packets including:
- Emergency hotline number
- 3-day diet plan
- Education materials
- Labs & meds
- Curfew letters
- Demographics information
Before [Hurricane Ian], the U.S. Renal Care emergency preparedness team worked to procure access to emergency generators and water tankers to continue providing dialysis treatment for all our patients in western Florida.
– Dr. Mary Dittrich, Chief Medical Officer
What patients and caregivers can do to prepare for an emergency on their own
It is recommended you keep an emergency kit on hand. Items to consider are:
- Grab-and-go duffel bags or backpacks
- 3-day supply of all medicine (for dialysis and any other conditions)
- Necessary medical supplies and dialysis equipment
- A radio, flashlight, and batteries
- At least 3 days’ worth of food that fits the emergency 3-day diet plan provided
6 of us dug through the snow for 3 hours, creating a path [for our patients]. All things considered, even having to shovel a lot of snow, it was probably the most meaningful Christmas Day that I’ve ever had.
– Mike Sloma, Senior Vice President, Business Development
How we support our employees
When disaster strikes, we activate our emergency response team to go into the impact zone and provide support and cross-coverage. This gives our people on the ground the opportunity to attend to their own needs, understanding they may have been personally impacted. Depending on the length of the event, we deploy teams every 6 days to assure we have a refreshed recovery approach.
We have resources available to our employees in need, including:
- Hotels, AirBnB lodging, & RVs
- Shower & laundry trailers
- U.S. Renal Care’s Employee Relief Foundation
- Temporary transportation & fuel
- Portable generators
- Nonperishable supplies & bottled water
