ORGANIZATION
Kidney Care, Inc.
YEARS
1973 - 1996
ENHANCING LIFE FOR RENAL PATIENTS
Kidney Care, Inc.
Kidney Care, Inc.
When John D. Bower, M.D. arrived at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Mississippi in 1965, a dialysis machine was almost unheard of and a renal disease diagnosis was a death sentence. Fortunately, early in Dr. Bower’s career he had the opportunity to work with Dr. Hume, and Dr. Scribner, both very influential nephrologists. Dr. Hume performed the first successful kidney transplant, and Dr. Scribner invented the Scribner Shunt, which is an integral component to a working dialysis machine. It was not long after his arrival that Dr. Bower applied for and received one of the first public health service grants to study dialysis, and UMC opened the state’s first dialysis unit by 1966.
Dialysis worked, but it was expensive and not everyone could afford it. In 1972, Dr. Bower was one of few influential doctors to help persuade congress to pass Legislation H.R. 1, declaring persons with end-stage renal disease eligible for Medicare. Suddenly, the problem with dialysis shifted from affordability to accessibility, because people were driving hundreds of miles for treatment, and the treatment facilities were full.
With the problems of accessibility to renal care in mind, Dr. Bower founded Kidney Care, Inc. with the goal to establish dialysis facilities and services within 30 miles of any patient's home. Kidney Care, Inc. was the embodiment of everything Dr. Bower had strived for, including years of specialization in nephrology, policy change on a congressional level, and statewide accessibility to treatment. Within the 23 years of its existence, Dr. Bower and his dedicated staff of health care providers opened up dialysis facilities in 22 different cities.
With Dr. Bower facing retirement, Kidney Care, Inc. merged with other dialysis programs and Vanderbilt University, in 1996, to form Renal Care Group, Inc. The proceeds from this transaction were used to form the Kidney Care Foundation, which was later renamed the Bower Foundation after Dr. Bower’s retirement in 2000.
Kidney Care Facilities
February 1974 - Jackson, MS
January 1975 –Greenville, MS
August 1976 – Meridian, MS
November 1978 – Brookhaven, MS
May 1979 – Clarksdale, MS
June 1979 – Columbus, MS
October 1980 – Vicksburg, MS
November 1982 – Greenwood, MS
November 1982 – Natchez, MS
June 1983 – Philadelphia, MS
January 1984 - Canton, MS
March 1984 - Helena, Arkansas
April 1989 - McComb, MS
September 1989 – Mendenhall, MS
June 1990 – Grenada, MS
September 1990 - Cleveland, MS
September 1990 - Lake Village, AR
November 1990 - Ferriday, LA
May 1992 - Newton, MS
August 1992 - Jackson (South) MS
July 1993 - Starkville, MS
September 1993 - Lexington, MS
May 1994 - Indianola, MS
Dialysis worked, but it was expensive and not everyone could afford it. In 1972, Dr. Bower was one of few influential doctors to help persuade congress to pass Legislation H.R. 1, declaring persons with end-stage renal disease eligible for Medicare. Suddenly, the problem with dialysis shifted from affordability to accessibility, because people were driving hundreds of miles for treatment, and the treatment facilities were full.
With the problems of accessibility to renal care in mind, Dr. Bower founded Kidney Care, Inc. with the goal to establish dialysis facilities and services within 30 miles of any patient's home. Kidney Care, Inc. was the embodiment of everything Dr. Bower had strived for, including years of specialization in nephrology, policy change on a congressional level, and statewide accessibility to treatment. Within the 23 years of its existence, Dr. Bower and his dedicated staff of health care providers opened up dialysis facilities in 22 different cities.
With Dr. Bower facing retirement, Kidney Care, Inc. merged with other dialysis programs and Vanderbilt University, in 1996, to form Renal Care Group, Inc. The proceeds from this transaction were used to form the Kidney Care Foundation, which was later renamed the Bower Foundation after Dr. Bower’s retirement in 2000.
Kidney Care Facilities
February 1974 - Jackson, MS
January 1975 –Greenville, MS
August 1976 – Meridian, MS
November 1978 – Brookhaven, MS
May 1979 – Clarksdale, MS
June 1979 – Columbus, MS
October 1980 – Vicksburg, MS
November 1982 – Greenwood, MS
November 1982 – Natchez, MS
June 1983 – Philadelphia, MS
January 1984 - Canton, MS
March 1984 - Helena, Arkansas
April 1989 - McComb, MS
September 1989 – Mendenhall, MS
June 1990 – Grenada, MS
September 1990 - Cleveland, MS
September 1990 - Lake Village, AR
November 1990 - Ferriday, LA
May 1992 - Newton, MS
August 1992 - Jackson (South) MS
July 1993 - Starkville, MS
September 1993 - Lexington, MS
May 1994 - Indianola, MS