(By Balaseshan) DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) said it has began treating kidney patients in Malaysia with the acquisition of Tulips Dialysis Centre and it has opened two new joint venture centers in the country.
Tulips Dialysis, a hemodialysis center located in Kota Damansara, 20 kilometers east of Kuala Lumpur, has capacity for 10 stations and is currently treating patients. Medical supervision is provided by nephrologist Wong Chew Ming.
Additionally, along with joint venture partner Seri Setia Group, DaVita has opened its doors to patients at two new centers in the greater Kuala Lumpur area, a 19-station center located in central Kuala Lumpur, and a six-station center located in Rawang, Selangor.
As a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, DaVita has achieved clinical outcomes that have improved year-over-year for more than a decade and plans to bring that track record of sustained clinical excellence to Malaysia.
"DaVita's expansion into Malaysia is an exciting step in the company's long-term international expansion plans," said Atul Mathur, president of Asia Pacific at DaVita.
DaVita is a provider of dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD).
As of September 30, 2012, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,912 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving about 150,000 patients. The company also operated 24 outpatient dialysis centers located in five countries outside the United States.
DVA closed Friday's regular session up 0.37% at $108. The stock has been trading between $72.46 and $116.50 for the past 52 weeks.