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About Us

What is a Nephrologist?

A Nephrologist is a Medical Doctor who Specializes in Kidney care and treating diseases of the kidneys. The term nephrologist comes from the Greek word “nephros”, which means kidney or renal and “ologist” refers to someone who studies. Nephrologists are also called kidney doctors. Nephrologists are educated in internal medicine and then undergo more training to specialize in treating patients with kidney diseases. They commonly treat chronic kidney disease (CKD), polycystic kidney disease (PKD), acute renal failure, kidney stones and high blood pressure and are educated on all aspects of kidney transplantation and dialysis. When a patient comes in for a check-up, the kidney doctor will evaluate the patient’s medical condition, address any new problems, check test results, make changes to the patient’s dialysis prescription if needed and refill or prescribe medications. During these visits, the nephrologist is also likely to adjust blood pressure medicines and may initiate or adjust therapy for a variety of other problems.

It’s important that patients tell their kidney doctors if they notice any changes in their health.

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ABOUT RENAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES

Renal Medicine Associates is a nephrology specialty medical practice that provides comprehensive care for patients with kidney disease throughout central, eastern, and southern portions of New Mexico. The spectrum of kidney disease includes hypertension, acute and chronic kidney dysfunction, kidney stones, fluid retention, kidney failure, dialysis, and transplantation. It is our mission to provide this care with the highest quality, integrity, and compassion.

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RMA Mission

Renal Medicine Associates is dedicated to the highest quality of care in the Prevention and Treatment of Kidney Disease and maintenance of Kidney Health with quality, compassion and integrity.

RMA AND THE NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY

At RMA, we are committed to serving the community beyond our clinic or hospital services. We supported the conception and implementation of the New Mexico Kidney Foundation (www.nm.kidney.org). We believe in patients' education and disease prevention. The New Mexico Kidney Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to educate the community on kidney disease prevention. And philanthropic projects in patients affected with end-stage kidney disease. RMA continues to contribute yearly to the efforts and community projects of the Presbyterian Health Foundation. We were awarded the 2019 Presbyterian Health Care foundation Physician philanthropic award.

http://docs.phs.org/idc/groups/public/documents/communication/pel_00935887.pdf We supported organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Association and NM Appleseed (www.nmappleseed.org).

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Recognition and Awards

August 9th 2023
Renal Medicine Associates participated in the Santo Domingo Pueblo Health Fair to raise chronic kidney awareness, including a presentation on chronic kidney disease.

RMA has partnered with the Santo Domingo Pueblo clinic to present a chronic kidney disease clinic twice a month.

PHOTOS:
Stephanie Mahooty DNP behind the table in the RMA booth.

Dr. Sonam Kundeling speaking to booth visitors.

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June 2023 - NKF Kidney Walk
Dr Hector Castro and his son Bruno participated in the 2023 Kidney Walk event to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation.
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Dr. Chudi Adi

Dr. Chudi Adi won the KidneyX Innovation Accelerator program, which launched the COVID-19 Kidney Care Challenge to identify and share solutions that reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission and risk among people with, or at risk of, kidney injury or disease.

The Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX) is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN).


Stephanie Mahooty, DNP

Stephanie Mahooty, DNP works with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Spring Clinical Meetings where she has been a planning committee member for the Council of Advanced Practice Providers (CAPP) from 2021-2022.

Dr. Mahooty served as co-chair for the CAPP Continuing Education Committee in 2021. CAPP’s mission is to serve as an advisory and resource for NKF, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners and the community in advancing the care, treatment, and education of patients with kidney disease and their families.

She is also a member of the Health Care Justice Committee of the American Society of Nephrology.

RMA HISTORY

Renal Medicine Associates (RMA) began on July 1, 1973, by founders Drs. Richard Cronin and Glenn Lubash. We were the first independent nephrology practice in Albuquerque, offering a new medical service to care for individuals in our community with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The U.S. Congress had just passed legislation allowing national insurance coverage for these individuals. Still, simultaneously, advances in cardiovascular intervention and intensive care support mandated kidney specialists to care for a growing population of critically ill hospitalized patients. In 1974, RMA partnered with Biomedical Applications (BMA) – a company based in Boston, MA that had arisen to operate free-standing dialysis facilities. Dr. Dale Erickson, the third member of the group, had finished his fellowship at the University of New Mexico in June 1974 but was first hired as medical director of the Presbyterian Hospital dialysis facility. After working together, RMA and Dr. Erickson formally joined teams in 1975 as equal partners. By this time, several dialysis facilities existed, and there was a growing number of patients with kidney failure depending on dialysis for life extension. Dr. Erickson also started providing service to a new dialysis facility in Clovis and continued to travel to eastern N.M. every month for the next 21 years. He, along with coverage from his partners, developed an outpatient nephrology practice, and provided inpatient consultation and dialysis care for that community. In 1978, Dr. Richard Goldman chose to join RMA. He promptly became the medical director of this Albuquerque Kidney Center dialysis facility. His interest and knowledge in science and quality control served RMA well as the group began to focus on safety, reliability, and long-term outcomes, including patient survival. After Dr. Goldman’s arrival, several members of the group began to serve on national leadership committees and boards, including the post of president of the Renal Physician’s Association, the premier national organization serving members of the nephrology community. RMA began to work with other national leaders to influence policy and to fight for the rights of ESRD patients within New Mexico. Over the next decades, this core group expanded services. It worked with our surgeons and hospital partners to create the Presbyterian Kidney Transplant Program. The mission of the group grew to include the provision of comprehensive care for our community. Thus, patients within New Mexico are offered the latest and safest technologies to make sure they have the best opportunity for good health. From 1973 to the present, Renal Medicine Associates has been committed to innovation, providing outstanding quality care with integrity and compassion for all individuals affected with kidney disease.

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