A quality doctor-patient relationship is essential. Healthcare is a collaborative effort between the patient, the doctor, and the medical team. As a physician, I know certain things will make or break that relationship. Today, I want to share four essential factors — the four Ts — for any doctor-patient team. You can think through each one as a kind of self-diagnosis. Is that relationship positive and productive, or do you need to make an adjustment? Tempo How often do you need to see your doctor? This routine is like a rhythm, a tempo. Tempo all depends on your progress and condition. If your ..read more

Sometimes doctors push patients toward dialysis at the first sign of kidney trouble, but is that the best path for everyone? Today, I want to take a transparent look at two alternative paths: palliative and hospice kidney care. “Hospitals often tell patients they must start dialysis or they are going to die. That’s not really a fair choice, is it? … You may have access to trained palliative and hospice care professionals who can listen to your story and help you decide the best way forward.” Why not dialysis? Hospitals often tell patients they must start dialysis or they are going to die. Th ..read more

Empowered Kidney Care exists to improve outcomes and quality of experience throughout the kidney care industry. We help healthcare providers create a culture of collaboration, offering control, dignity, and hope to all patients. EKC Founder Dr. Richard Gibney has been in the kidney care industry for over four decades. For most of his career, Dr. Gibney simply didn’t know that there were alternatives to the status quo. His dialysis units were all better than average, but he began to wonder… what if good enough simply isn’t good enough? He genuinely cared about all of his patients and staff, an ..read more

After decades of relatively little progress, patients with CKD are finally getting access to promising new kidney drugs. We’re optimistic about a new chapter in kidney disease management, fueled by an active pipeline of new and innovative medications. Here are a few notable drugs that have been making headlines in the kidney care industry. SGLT-2 Inhibitors If you’re familiar with our work at Empowered Kidney Care, you know we are big fans of SGLT-2 Inhibitors. Initially designed as a medication for diabetics, this drug quickly demonstrated significant benefits for kidney health. SGLT-2s were ..read more

With a chronic disease like CKD, it’s easy to feel out of control. Is there anything you can do to change your future and avoid kidney dialysis? The answer is a resounding “YES.” Click above to watch the full episode with Dr. Gibney and host James Fabin on DadviceTV. Learn more about kidney health on DadviceTV Visit the DadviceTV YouTube channel for more episodes featuring kidney health thought leaders, including Dr. Richard Gibney’s recent interview about kidney tests and lab work. The post DadviceTV: Taking Control of Kidney Disease to Avoid Dialysis appeared first on Empowered Kidney Car ..read more

Where do you feel safe and secure? What makes you feel out of control? How do these different situations affect your confidence? Your anxiety? Your ability to enjoy life? The American healthcare system is not very good at providing control. So many people feel helpless in the exam room or forgotten in the hospital. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of chronic conditions like kidney disease. What can you do to take control of your kidney health? The Empowered Kidney Care movement is about regaining control, hope, and optimism! “We’re all working together towards one commo ..read more

This month marks a significant milestone for Empowered Kidney Care and the patients at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Richard Gibney joined the faculty with an audacious goal to preserve kidney function and keep patients off dialysis. One year later, the results are in and even better than anyone expected. 12 months of empowered kidney care Dr. Gibney and his team continue to expand their patient base, focusing on preserving function for patients with CKD. Their patients primarily come from the low-income “barrios” around San Antonio, a population ..read more

On Monday, Dr. Gibney appeared in a new live episode of DadviceTV discussing kidney disease diagnosis and the most important next steps. This is one of the scariest times for kidney patients, but you can regain confidence and control over your health with a little knowledge and the right healthcare team. Building your healthcare team Many patients are terrified to hear they have kidney disease or “kidney failure.” They don’t know much about kidney disease, but they know they don’t want dialysis or transplant. Some patients are even worried they are going to die. How bad is it? For ..read more

Have you or someone you care about received a kidney disease diagnosis? Now what? This is one of the scariest times for kidney patients, but you can regain confidence and control over your health with a bit of knowledge and the right healthcare team. How bad is it? Many patients are terrified to hear they have kidney disease or “kidney failure.” They don’t know much about kidney disease, but they know they don’t want dialysis or transplant. Some patients are even worried they are going to die. How bad is it? For most cases, a kidney disease diagnosis means that your doctors have noticed a decr ..read more

Empowered Kidney Care exists to improve outcomes and quality of experience throughout the kidney care industry. We help healthcare providers create a culture of collaboration, offering control, dignity, and hope to all patients. EKC Founder Dr. Richard Gibney has been in the kidney care industry for over four decades. For most of his career, Dr. Gibney simply didn’t know that there were alternatives to the status quo. His dialysis units were all better than average, but he began to wonder… what if good enough simply isn’t good enough? He genuinely cared about all of his patients and staff, an ..read more