Survey Uncovers Awareness Gap Around Dialysis Treatment Options

Dr. John Laird, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Peripheral Vascular Health at Medtronic, and Terry Litchfield, President of Access Solutions and a patient advocate discuss a new national survey conducted by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) in partnership with Medtronic that has uncovered a potential gap in awareness for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients undergoing hemodialysis when it comes to awareness about minimally invasive options for hemodialysis access point creation. They talk about the impact that knowledge and choice have on dialysis patients and their care partners and offer insights into the benefits of options available outside of surgery for eligible ESKD patients.

John R. Laird, Jr, MD serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Peripheral Vascular Health at Medtronic, the global leader in healthcare technology. He is also an interventional cardiologist who is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and interventional cardiology. His practice has focused on interventions for coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysmal disease, renal artery disease, superficial and deep venous disease, dialysis AV access and peripheral artery disease. Among his areas of leadership and innovation is investigation of new therapies for carotid and peripheral vascular applications, including drug coated balloons, covered stents, CTO devices and drug eluting stents.