Baxter Introduces Virtual Peritoneal Dialysis Excellence Academy for Nurses in the U.S.

• First-of-its-kind curriculum educates peritoneal dialysis (PD) nurses in one easily accessible resource
• Learners earn continuing education (CE) credits and expand knowledge on PD management best practices
• Trainings offered in interactive, on-demand, and self-guided formats

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxter International, Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a global innovator in renal care, announced today the launch of the PD Excellence Academy, a new virtual training platform and educational resource center to help nurses develop their PD skills to deliver optimal patient care. The platform also offers a benefit to employers, including dialysis clinic administrators and nephrologists, who now have an additional resource available to develop and retain talent. As home dialysis rates continue to rise, so does the demand for nurses who have the expertise to successfully manage a PD program.

“For decades, Baxter has been a leader in PD, but we know creating best-in-class home therapies is only one part of the equation,” explained Gavin Campbell, general manager of Baxter’s U.S. Renal Care business. “With more patients adopting PD therapy every day, Baxter is strongly supporting therapy education for nurses to enable better PD patient experiences and outcomes.”

To develop the curriculum, Baxter partnered with experts in the nephrology industry, including the educational nonprofit organization, American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), and the Annual Dialysis Convention (ADC), the world’s largest interdisciplinary conference on dialysis, presented by the University of Missouri Department of Nephrology. The platform was also developed with input from experienced nurses and educators and will feature PD clinical specialists offering custom educational support for advanced topics. The breadth and depth of expertise and perspectives shared for both universal PD nursing techniques and practices, as well as product-specific learning modules, helps to ensure the relevance of course topics, format options and resources for nurses throughout their PD journey.

“We know from our members the importance of staying current with best practices, and it can be difficult to schedule time to access the educational resources,” explained Lillian Pryor, MSN, RN, CNN, and president of ANNA. “The PD Excellence Academy is an easy and convenient way for PD nurses to learn about the field, including up-to-date methodologies and tips, on their time.”

With the increasing need and desire for virtual education due to COVID-19, the PD Excellence Academy training resources were designed to provide standardized, evidence-based and actionable curriculum in a convenient and easily accessible format. The interactive e-Learning modules allow nurses to progress at their own pace and are complemented by live and on-demand webinars led by thought leaders who share perspectives on related topics.

In the future, Baxter also plans to host national training events at conferences like ADC and ANNA’s National Symposium, where hands-on application of essential concepts and tools will be offered. By completing the accredited e-Learning curriculum and attending a national training event, an individual nurse learner can gain over 25 PD-specific CE contact hours.

“The ADC has a 40-year track record of educating the dialysis community on the science of peritoneal dialysis, state-of-the-art knowledge and the cutting-edge research innovations in the field,” said Ramesh Khanna, MD, professor of medicine and chair and director of the Karl D. Nolph MD, Division of Nephrology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. “We are excited to combine forces with Baxter, an industry leader in PD, to merge the science and art of dialysis through the PD Excellence Academy.”

Also included in the PD Excellence Academy is Peer Perspectives, a peer-to-peer forum intended for nurses to discuss timely, relevant topics in the industry, along with practical career tips that complement the clinical perspectives provided within the curriculum content.

To learn more about the PD Excellence Academy program and to register for the launch webinar, visit https://www.pdempowers.com/hcp/academy.

About Baxter’s Home Dialysis Therapy

Baxter is the largest supplier of PD products in the U.S. and has extensive expertise and infrastructure to support healthcare providers and PD patients in all 50 states. The company offers a range of services to help patients manage the day-to-day components of therapy, including 24/7 technical support, monthly delivery of supplies to patient homes, and a travel program to deliver supplies to vacation destinations.

The company has a strong legacy of innovation in home dialysis therapy, from introducing the first PD solution in 1960 and the first automated peritoneal dialysis cycler in 1994, to the launch of the Amia cycler with Sharesource remote patient management (telehealth) in 2015. Sharesource is the only two-way telehealth platform in the U.S. that allows clinicians to monitor and manage their home dialysis patients’ treatments from their clinic, with over 17 million treatments managed globally since its launch. Trained nurses, in tandem with the right technology to support improved outcomes, bring patients additional confidence in performing dialysis in the safety of their own homes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About Baxter

Every day, millions of patients and caregivers rely on Baxter’s leading portfolio of critical care, nutrition, renal, hospital and surgical products. For more than 85 years, we’ve been operating at the critical intersection where innovations that save and sustain lives meet the healthcare providers that make it happen. With products, technologies and therapies available in more than 100 countries, Baxter’s employees worldwide are now building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical breakthroughs to advance the next generation of transformative healthcare innovations. To learn more, visit www.baxter.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning the PD Excellence Academy and its associated benefits. The statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: satisfaction of government and other requirements; actions of regulatory bodies and other governmental authorities; product quality, manufacturing or supply, or patient safety issues; changes in law and regulations; and other risks identified in Baxter's most recent filing on Form 10-K and other SEC filings, all of which are available on Baxter's website. Baxter does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

Baxter, Amia and Sharesource are registered trademarks of Baxter International Inc.