Fresenius Offers Night Treatment

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the North American division of Fresenius Medical Care (FMS - Snapshot Report), recently revealed that it provides dialysis at night for patients who are asleep. The company’s quality of care at night matches its day time care at clinics.

The company has set up over 140 night time center-based dialysis programs in the U.S. It plans to open more nocturnal centers during 2013.

Dialysis at night, while patients are sleeping, is gaining popularity. While such dialysis treatment takes a longer period of time, patients accrue benefit as nocturnal treatment leaves them free for work or other business during the day. Since treatment at night spans a longer time, waste material is gradually removed from the patient, which yields a more gentle therapy for most recipients.

Dialysis sustains life by removing surplus fluids and cleansing waste material from the blood stream when a patient’s kidneys stop functioning.

Fresenius is the largest provider of products and services for patients undergoing dialysis treatment on the planet. The company’s principal competitor in the U.S. is DaVita Inc. (DVA - Analyst Report), which provides dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure or end stage renal disease. Fresenius also competes with Baxter International (BAX - Analyst Report) in certain niches such as the peritoneal dialysis products.

The company continues to register strong operating results in the North American as well as overseas markets. The integration of recent acquisitions is also expected to be accretive to Fresenius’ earnings in the near term. However, the contagion of economic problems remains a matter of concern.

The stock carries a Zacks #3 Rank, which translates into a short-term Hold rating.