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DaVita and Fresenius together operate about 5,500 of America's ~7,500 dialysis centers — roughly 73% of the market. Both offer in-center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home training. This comparison uses the official CMS facility registry for real counts.
According to the CMS Dialysis Facility Compare listing (June 2026), DaVita operates 2,799 certified centers and Fresenius Medical Care operates 2,701 — together 5,500 of the 7,490 certified facilities in the US, or about 73% of the market.
Both are for-profit chains. DaVita is a pure-play dialysis company (NYSE: DVA); Fresenius is part of Fresenius Medical Care, a global medical technology company that also MANUFACTURES dialysis machines and dialyzers — a structural difference: Fresenius operates many of the machines it builds.
Both chains offer the full modality menu — in-center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis training, and nocturnal programs in some markets. Both also run integrated kidney care programs and clinical research divisions.
Quality comparisons from CMS data (star ratings) show both chains' centers span the full range — the variance between individual centers is larger than the difference between the chains. Your specific local center matters far more than the brand.
Use the CMS Dialysis Facility Compare data we publish: check the star rating of YOUR local centers (both chains), compare services offered (peritoneal dialysis, home training, nocturnal shifts), and look at station counts to gauge capacity.
Visit both shortlisted centers. Questions that matter: What shift times are available? How long is the wait for the shift you need? What's the nurse-to-patient ratio on your shift? Is the medical director responsive? What do current patients say?
Your vascular access timeline matters too — both chains coordinate fistula placement and care. A center that schedules your access work promptly is worth more than one with a slightly better star average.
Updated August 2026. Figures from federal registries (USRDS, CDC, CMS) — the authoritative sources for US kidney statistics.
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This content is a general reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Do not change your diet, fluids, medicines, or dialysis plan without your nephrologist or renal dietitian. Individual recommendations depend on your labs, medications, conditions, and care plan.