Developer of tech-enabled healthcare platform for patients with chronic kidney disease tackles huge need for more home-based dialysis and preventive care
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Cricket Health a developer of technology-enabled care solutions for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, announced today that industry veteran Danny Shapiro has joined the company as chief business officer.
Shapiro, whose experience includes senior management roles at Home Care Assistance and DaVita Kidney Care, will focus on developing go-to-market strategies, building partnerships with relevant payers and providers, and expanding the company’s clinical footprint.
“We’re delighted to welcome Danny to our team,” said Arvind Rajan, co-founder and CEO of Cricket Health. “He brings tremendous experience, contacts and expertise in kidney dialysis that cannot be replicated, and an incredible passion and commitment to improving the lives of patients.”
Cricket Health leverages design, technology and world-class clinical expertise to reinvent the care of CKD and ESRD patients. Cricket Health’s award-winning programs are already being used by healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes and quality of life, while also reducing the overall cost of care. These initial deployments are focused on improving the transition from CKD to ESRD by slowing progression of disease, educating patients on their condition and options, and reducing unplanned starts to dialysis.
CKD affects 30 million adults in the United States, but because the condition often shows no symptoms for long stretches, most patients go undiagnosed until they have already progressed toward kidney failure.
There are more than 650,000 people living with ESRD in the U.S. Of the 120,000 patients who progress to ESRD annually, almost half have an urgent, unplanned start into dialysis. The result is significant morbidity and higher costs. Furthermore, close to 90 percent end up receiving in-center hemodialysis, even though there is widespread agreement in both the payer and provider communities that dialysis at home is associated with better outcomes and lower cost.
Changes in Medicare reimbursement that encourage home care and home dialysis, and other benefits associated with caring for CKD and ESRD patients at home, are providing momentum for Cricket Health’s approach.
Shapiro most recently served as chief operating officer for Home Care Assistance, a home care specialist. Before that, he was a San Francisco Bay Area-based division vice president for DaVita Kidney Care, a leading provider of dialysis and related services.
“I’m excited to join Cricket Health,” said Shapiro. “I’ve long been passionate about bringing together the best of technology, hospitality and human-centered design to improve the health and quality of life for patients with kidney disease.”
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About Cricket Health
Cricket Health is a comprehensive kidney care provider with a personalized, evidence-based approach to managing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Cricket works with payers and providers to identify patients who are at risk, acts early to slow progression of the disease, and delivers patient-centered, personalized kidney care through a multidisciplinary care team. If a patient progresses to ESRD, Cricket educates them about their treatment options and delivers patient-centered care, whether it is transplant support, home dialysis, conservative care, or in-center dialysis. Founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco and Cambridge, the company’s leadership includes some of the leading experts in nephrology, health care, and technology. Learn more at www.crickethealth.com or follow us @crickethealth.
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