The Power of Patient Education: Staying Out of the Hospital and On Track for Transplant

Ray Virgo remembers what it was like doing steel work on large buildings in New York, sometimes working as high as 60 stories above ground. “The worst was the winter,” says Ray. “You would get to the point of frostbite working out in the cold for so long. And you couldn’t eat the good food you should be eating throughout the day. I used to work the late shifts and was eating a lot of fast food, burgers, and pizza.”

Looking back, Ray recognizes his lifestyle as a young adult contributed to his future health challenges. After migrating to the U.S. from Jamaica in 1969, he was accustomed to long days of physical labor and a diet high in junk food and soda. “When I was about 25 years old, I went for a job interview with the sanitation department and had to take a physical exam. They told me I had high blood pressure,” he says. “At the time, I felt fine physically. I was running around doing sports and working, just going on with my life. I felt like I was a superstar.”

Then during a doctor’s appointment, tests showed the levels of toxins in Ray’s urine were above normal and that he had kidney disease. Even though he had no symptoms, he followed his doctor’s recommendations and started eating less salt and drinking more water. It was challenging, though, to find healthy food options during his long, late work shifts. “I started bringing my own food to work and working out. I thought I was improving, but my blood pressure was still high,” recalls Ray.

 

A fresh start in North Carolina with a new care team

In 2022, Ray relocated to Greenville, North Carolina. At first, he had to commute back and forth to New York where he had established medical coverage and care. Then his doctor in New York connected him with Eastern Nephrology Associates, a large nephrology practice in eastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina.

“The experience coming to Eastern Nephrology was great,” says Ray. “I was treated with care and respect. They informed me of everything I needed to do and what was going on with my kidneys.”

In addition to seeing a nephrologist, Ray also started working with Kathy Galloway, a renal care coordinator (RCC) from Interwell Health embedded in the practice as part of a value-based care model. “Kathy said if there were ever any problems to give her a phone call,” he says. “If I didn’t see her during a visit, I would tell the other office staff to tell her I was doing my best at home and taking care of myself.”

 

Armed with knowledge, Ray felt empowered to manage his health and kidney disease

To help patients make informed health decisions throughout their kidney care, Eastern Nephrology uses a patient education platform called Interwell Learning. “I’ve never received so much information before, even when I was in New York. Kathy gave me instructions, classes, booklets, and the information I needed to do my own research,” says Ray. “She gave me so many materials to bring home. They were very informative, and I still have them now.”

“I remember there was a video that showed the kidney’s deterioration and what it could do to you,” adds Ray. “The instructions were to follow your doctor’s guidelines, keep your appointments, eat the right foods, and do your best to take care of yourself. They would try to slow the disease by making sure we eat properly, that was one of the big things.”

Even after years in kidney care, Ray’s experience at Eastern Nephrology working with Kathy and the Interwell care team, including a registered dietitian who specializes in renal nutrition, helped him more fully understand how to manage his kidney disease. “When I was first diagnosed, they told me I would have to change my diet, but that was pretty much the only information I received; it wasn’t drilled into me how to eat, and specifically what not to eat,” he says. “The holistic care I’m receiving now is fantastic. The information I’ve been given is way beyond what I received in the past.” 

 

Taking preventive steps to avoid emergency care

As he learned more about his disease, Ray took comfort in knowing someone was always available to answer his questions. This level of wraparound care and continuous support can help prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency visits. Ray also learned about his treatment options and what it’s like living with dialysis or a kidney transplant. “They educated us on living and deceased donors. I searched for a match, but my family wasn’t able to donate, so I had to hold on for a while,” he says.

While Ray hoped to receive a transplant, his doctor and care coordinators advised him to have a dialysis fistula placed in his arm in case he ever had a health emergency that caused his kidney health to sharply decline and required him to unexpectedly start dialysis. Up to one in four patients with kidney disease crashes into dialysis, often in the hospital with a central venous catheter, which carries a high risk of infection and complications such as blood clots. “I was trying my best to avoid a crash at the hospital and any emergency procedures,” says Ray.

 

Waking up with a new kidney, full of joy and gratitude

On January 8, 2025, four days after Ray’s birthday, he received a call from the transport transplant team saying they had a kidney for him. “I was calling everyone in my family and telling them to meet me at the hospital. It was awesome,” says Ray.

Upon waking up, Ray recalls his astonishment that the transplantation surgery was already over. “I was filled with joy, and I just had a little pain; I didn’t feel like I’d had surgery,” says Ray. “The doctor passing by said I was too jolly to be in the ICU recovery room.”

Less than a year after his surgery, Ray is feeling well and expresses his gratitude to his care team and donor for enabling him to receive a preemptive transplant before he ever needed to start dialysis. “I just want the families to know I’m really grateful, and I’m going to do my best to take care of this kidney,” he says. “I am so grateful for all the care and attention and the treatments. It’s never ending, and it’s sincere care.”

Ray is especially thankful for his renal care coordinator, Kathy. “There were so many things special about her. She was caring, number one. She always kept in touch and would call to make sure we’re doing okay.”

 

A winning formula: the right people and the right information

Ray hopes other patients like him have access to the same level of learning and care he has experienced. “They need to take advantage of it. The information you receive will only help you take care of yourself better,” he says.

As a participant in the Interwell 360 program, Ray receives one-on-one, personalized support for his health needs as part of his health insurance benefits at no additional cost to him. “I think that it’s a great concept, and we don’t have to worry about the expense,” he adds. “Once you get the right people that you need to talk to, they give you everything you need. I think it’s wonderful.”

 

To learn more about how Interwell’s value-based care model can help your members, visit our website.