Newswise — The American Society of Nephrology has elected Sharon M. Moe, MD, FASN, as President. Dr. Moe’s term began November 10, 2013. She is the Stuart A. Kleit Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Nephrology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and a Section Chief of Nephrology at the Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center in Indianapolis.
“Professionals who take care of patients with chronic disease experience the joy of providing real continuity of care and making huge positive differences in the lives of their patients,” said Moe. “This is an exciting time to be a nephrologist, and ASN is uniquely positioned to help professionals balance ongoing care of patients with active efforts to prevent disease, to reduce disparities in kidney care, and improve awareness of kidney health.”
Dr. Moe comments on several of the agendas ASN will focus on during her term:
Addressing Health Disparities: “In the U.S., nephrologists see a disproportionately high number of patients who are African American, Hispanic, and Native American. We don’t understand enough about the reasons for this. If funding for kidney disease research remains low, these disparities will continue. As ASN President I will work with our policy team to make sure U.S. lawmakers and other policymakers understand the full impact of kidney disease and just how much they can contribute to reducing health disparities.
Strengthening the Workforce: “In medical school, students may most often see patients with kidney disease in the emergency room or late in their disease course. They don’t get a full picture of the wide spectrum of practice, or of how energizing and motivating our work can be. And we fail to emphasize the miraculous nature of dialysis itself—while undergoing dialysis is tough, without dialysis, patients would die.”
Protecting Research: “Through the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research ASN commits over $3 million each year to research, and through the Kidney Health Initiative ASN advances new treatments in kidney care. But that is not enough, and this year ASN will continue to raise the profile of kidney health among federal agencies and lawmakers so that the next generation of researchers has the tools to reduce this public health threat.”
Improving Quality of Care: “ASN leads a variety of efforts to improve health care programs focused on those with kidney disease. This year ASN will continue to advocate for improvements to the ESRD Seamless Care Organization program and other initiatives that affect people with kidney disease and the professionals who provide their care.” “Dr. Moe is uniquely skilled to build and expand ASN’s recent efforts to improve interest in nephrology careers, endow funding for the next generation of investigators through the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research, and partner with FDA to expand on the early success of the Kidney Health Initiative,” said ASN Executive Director Tod Ibrahim. “Under Dr. Moe’s leadership, ASN will continue to focus on the best interests of patients, the sanctity of the relationship between patients and their health professionals, and a cure for kidney disease.”
Dr. Moe received her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and completed her residency in the Department of Internal Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL. She was a clinical fellow and a research fellow at the University of Chicago.
Founded in 1966, and with more than 14,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.
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