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disease, they tend to be more compliant and follow up." In the U.S., 9 of 10 people with kidney d i s ea s e a re u n aw a re t hey h ave t he condition . These sa me statistics a re mirrored in Sy racuse. W hen referred p a t i e n t s c o m e i n f o r t h e i r i n i t i a l appointment at Nephrolog y Associates of Sy racuse, 90% don't know why they were referred by their primar y provider. D r. A za r s ay s e ven a mon g pat ient s who have a dva nced k id ney d i sea se, a n estimated 50% to 65% a re unawa re of their condition. " This lack of education is striking," he says. "So we tr y to shed some light on things." In ma ny cases, diag nosis is the f irst bit of l i g ht s he dd i n g t o t a ke pl a c e. Since so ma ny patients a re genera l ly unawa re of their hea lth problem a nd a re unfa milia r with kidney disease in genera l, education is the critica l nex t s t ep. Pat ient s i m med i at ely re c eive education from their ca re tea m during each v isit a nd a re of fered additiona l educationa l oppor tunities. D u r i n g C K D e d u c a t i o n c l a s s e s , patient s lea r n t he speci f ics of t hei r disea se, including what may happen to their kidneys in the coming yea rs, ava i lable treatment options t hat a re most likely to succeed, and diet and life- style modif ications. These one-on-one cla sses g ive patients the oppor tunit y to lea rn at their own pace a nd engage w it h a n adva nced practice prov ider about their disease in person or online. Patients who wa nt to lea rn more ca n sign up for advanced education classes, which go into greater depth on a variety of topics. Cla sses a re a lso ta i lored to meet patients' needs. They may lea rn the dif ference bet ween hemodia lysis a nd peritonea l dia lysis, sur viva l rates for t hei r condition, a nd ot her i n for- mation t hat helps t hem get a f i r mer grasp on their hea lth. Each educationa l session concludes with a n oppor tunity for patients to ask cla rif ying questions that help ensure they 're understanding what t hey 've lea r ned a nd ca n put it into action. " No mat ter what disea se a patient comes to us with, we strive to make their lives better ever y day," Dr. Chaff in says. " It 's why we're here, a nd that united philosophy we follow drives ever y thing we do." n To refer patients to Nephrology Associates of Syracuse, P.C. in Syracuse or a satellite location, visit nephrologysyracuse.com/ contact or call 315-478-3311. Antoine Azar, MD Matthew G. Chaffin, MD Satellite Services W HEN THE COV ID-19 pandemic intensified the need for convenient care, Nephrology Associates of Syracuse, P.C. adopted telemedicine technology, which they continue using today. Virtual medicine is not, however, the only convenience-enhancing approach they use. Satellite locations throughout the area make it easier for those with kidney disease to receive the care they need close to home. Nephrology Associates of Syracuse, P.C. satellite offices can be found in the following locations: + Camillus + Fayetteville + Fulton + Vernon Additionally, nephrologists visit patients weekly at Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital and rotate through Central New York dialysis centers. Anne. E. Zaccheo, MBA, FACMPE, Practice Director M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A L N E W Y O R K n 2 0 2 3 0 9