Well, this is getting interesting.  After all these years of having Fresenius and DaVita swallowing up dialysis centers, there is change coming.

No, I am not just talking about TheDonald’s Executive Order.  But, that is going to amplify this new change.  After all, Fresenius- without knowing about the order- acquired NxStage (a home dialysis system).  And, given the executive order, Fresenius plans to convert some of its clinics into transitional care units to train patients on their home dialysis system.  And, DaVita is jumping into home dialysis by investing in telehealth platforms and remote monitoring so they can provide home dialysis, too.

But, there’s some other real competition coming.  It seems that Dean Kamen, who most of you know as the man behind the Segway, is back involved in dialysis.  Yes, BACK.

Dean had invented an autosyringe- a device that would inject drugs into a patient.  While he started his own company to market it, he found it more lucrative to license it to Baxter, then one of the big names in dialysis.

Dean later redesigned Baxter’s peritoneal dialysis cycler (in this case, dialysate is pumped into the patients belly, with the fluid cycling in and out, removing the wastes transferred across the patient’s peritoneal membrane) back in the late 1980s.

Well, Dean and his DEKA (as in DEan KAmen) Research & Development Corporation (New Hampshire), has come up with a new home-dialysis device, HemoCare.  And, CVS one of the top two US Pharmacy operations (plus the owner of one of the largest pharmacy benefits manager, as well as Aetna Insurance [one of the intermediaries that is involved in dialysis reimbursement])- has obtained the rights to this device.  And, is starting clinical trials of the unit now.

The goal, obviously,  is to provide home dialysis.  No, the goal is to provide even better results for dialysis patients than they would achieve from getting their treatment in a dialysis center.

This new system is contained in two cabinets, each one about the size of a dormitory refrigerator; a tablet (computer) and software that will enable to the patient to initiate, complete, and terminate the dialysis sessions.  During the initial 70 patient trial (at 10 centers across the US), the patients will be trained by a nurse (at a dialysis clinic or at home) for six weeks (18 to 20 treatments [probably every other day, not thrice weekly] but for 6 hours each session- thereby doubling the dialysis each patient receives a week) and then continue the trial by themselves for another six weeks. The overall trials will be completed in 16 to 18 months, which means CVS will be providing home dialysis by 2021.  Part of the trial is to discern the differences in the treatment process when there is a nurse present and when there is just a partner helping the patient undergo dialysis.

CVS not only helped DEKA complete the development of the device, but it will pay DEKA a licensing fee, while DEKA oversees the manufacturing of the system.

As you can see, there was more to that $ 70 billion Aetna acquisition than met the eye.  It’s clear CVS plans to be a health care provider for chronic patients, as well.

Interestingly, today in Chief Executive, the ex-head of Aetna explains that he sold the firm to CVS to fix the health care system.  This could be a great first step.

I Sold Aetna To Fix A Broken Healthcare System. Here’s Why.

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