Metabolism Associates, founded in 1974, is an academically-oriented private practice specializing in Nephrology, or disorders of the kidney and blood pressure.

An accredited nephrology fellowship program run by our group and sponsored by the Hospital of St. Raphael has been an integral part of the practice for the past 20 years.

The group has always been active in clinical research and publishes a number of papers in major, peer-reviewed journals in the nephrology literature annually.

An important development early in the practice's history was starting the first free-standing peritoneal dialysis (PD) unit in the nation, which rapidly grew and has been the largest such unit in the nation for many years.

We have eleven nephrologists and three physician assistants on our medical staff. We attend at the Hospital of St. Raphael (HSR), Yale-New Haven hospital, and Milford hospital for consultations and admissions.

Nephrology is a rapidly evolving field, and we work to remain at the forefront of the newest and best diagnostic and therapeutic techniques available.

We have launched a chronic kidney disease (CKD) education program for patients with permanent impairment in their kidney function, which holds classes regularly and covers topics important and relevant to these patients, such as diet, anemia, bone health, pre-dialysis education, and other topics.

We have "Epo" clinics in New Haven and Branford to administer erythropoeietin shots for anemia related to CKD.

In recent years, we have initiated a new and important form of hemodialysis at HSR, called SLED for Slow, Low-Efficiency Dialysis, which has provided an additional option for unstable or fluid overloaded patients; a new form of hemofiltration using entirely new technology, also at HSR and a nocturnal hemodialysis program at our Milford dialysis facility, which allows patients to sleep while they are dialyzed, freeing them up during the days to improve their quality of life.

Plans are currently underway to implement a home hemodialysis program as well, which is an emerging dialysis technique that has been shown in numerous studies (as has nocturnal dialysis) to offer important advantages over conventional hemodialysis.

Today, our mission as a practice is to provide comprehensive care to patients with disorders of the kidneys and hypertension, providing the highest level of clinical expertise with both an academic and a humane approach.

It is our priority to be available and responsive to our patients' needs and concerns, and to work to identify new approaches to improve medical outcomes and quality of life in our patients.