The story begins with a single-specialty nephrology practice founded by Tunji Alausa, MD, our current executive Chairman. The practice was initially named "Germane Nephrology" and later became "Kidney Care Center." The first office was located in Joliet.

The company started with an emphasis on Home Dialysis therapy. Home dialysis therapy was a modality that should have been more widely utilized then. Home Dialysis Services (HDS) started with a focus on Peritoneal dialysis and staff-assisted home hemodialysis - a unique modality in the dialysis field. The HDS network grew quickly because of the exceptional boutique level of care provided to patients.

Fast forward to 2008, Muhammad S. Shafi, MD, our current Vice-Chairman, joined Kidney Care Center Joliet and became a partner of KCC Joliet in 2010. He also became the Associate Medical Director of Home Dialysis Services in 2010. Dr. Shafi's insight was instrumental in launching the nation's first Staff Enhanced Home Hemodialysis program.

As HDS focused on delivering exceptional care to patients, a strategic decision was made to expand access to care to more Illinois patients and provide more home therapy options, including PD and HHD. The goal was for HDS to be Illinois's biggest provider of free-standing home therapy clinics. After meeting that goal, the decision was made to expand the services to include In-Center dialysis services for those in need. As we continued to focus on superior care, Asim Shazzad initially joined the company as Operations Officer and has been an integral part of the journey. Currently, Asim holds the position of Chief Operating Officer and continues to be an essential part of the strategic decisions made in the organization.

The company operations grew rapidly because of the boutique care provided to each dialysis patient. Dialysis Care Centers (DCC) clinics now offer In-Center, Peritoneal Dialysis, and Home Hemo Dialysis options. DCC remains seriously committed to the high home therapy penetration rate. As we continue to provide the full ala carte of dialysis, including home therapy and In-Center hemodialysis, it became apparent that rebranding from Home Dialysis Services to Dialysis Care Center was best. This rebranding happened as an intentional step to bring all the modalities under one brand and to continuously focus on high-quality care. The first two In Center clinics were in Oak Lawn, IL, and Olympia Fields, IL.

From state-wide to national, a strategy to expand the brands across the country was set in place. Dr. Babajide Salako, currently the Chief Executive Officer, brought his ten years of experience as the senior leader of Fresenius Medical Care to DCC. Dr. Salako was prepared and well-equipped to become the Chief Executive Officer of this growing organization. He continues to lead DCC and channel his effort, energy, and aggressive goal strategy of high-quality, affordable care.

Dialysis Care Center opened its first dialysis clinic outside the state of Illinois in Hershey, Pennsylvania. In 2017, the milestone continued, including opening more clinics in Pennsylvania and other states, including Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, and Tennessee.

The company had been so successful in providing the various types of dialysis therapy that a decision was made to expand into In-Center dialysis, which would now cater to the entire allocation of dialysis services in a unique, qualitative & efficient way. At this point, DCC opened its first two In-Center dialysis clinics in Oaklawn and Olympia Fields, Illinois.

Dialysis Care Center moved its corporate team to a new corporate office in Homer Glen, IL. The office space caters to more than 80 team members. In addition to beautiful offices, the building houses several meeting rooms, multiple boardrooms, and an education center equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment to simultaneously support the educational needs of over 200 team members.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the planet and has harshly affected the healthcare industry. Dialysis Care Center and the team members showed resilience throughout the pandemic and ensured all services continued without interruption. The company adopted safety protocols per local, state, and federal guidelines. DCC also conducted a nationwide vaccination drive for the patients and team members throughout its centers.

Dialysis Care Center launched its flagship program, DCC Cares. DCC Cares embodies our motto - Leading with Care. Our team is fully committed to providing exceptional care services and a wide range of dialysis options to enhance our patient's lives. The DCC team members are the company's greatest asset, and their combined professional contributions have led to the company's success and achievements so far. Today, DCC is present in 8 states. Our growth is based on the core values of providing exceptionally high-quality care at affordable cost with exceptional patient satisfaction.