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About The Commission

Commission Members

Mission

​The Mission of the Commission of Kidney Disease is to protect the citizens of Maryland and to promote quality health care in the field of nephrology and transplantation by:

  • Certifying dialysis and transplant centers
  • Receiving and resolving complaints from the public, patients, courts, employers, employees, insurance companies, other centers regarding the health care providers in the center who may have violated the Commission's law (Annotated Code of Maryland, Health General Article, Title 13) and its regulations found at COMAR 10.30.01; and
  • Setting standards for the practice of chronic dialysis and transplantation that reflect new and emergent developments in the practice of chronic dialysis and kidney transplantation through regulations and legislation.

Commission Members

The Commission consists of twelve members appointed by the Governor.

Eight of the Commission members are licensed Healthcare Providers, one is a Renal Administrator, and the remaining three members are consumers/public members.

The Governor shall appoint 1 member from a list of individuals submitted to the Governor by each of the following organizations, and the community at large:

  1. The Kidney Foundation of Maryland;
  2. The faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine;
  3. The faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and
  4. The Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland.

Additional Appointment Requirements:

  1. 1 individual from the Renal Administrators Association;
  2. 3 individuals who are laypersons to the field of medicine;
  3. 3 individuals appointed at the discretion of the Governor who:
    • Are medical specialists or other patient care providers in nephrology or kidney transplants; and
    • Do not have direct ownership of more than 30% in renal dialysis or kidney transplant centers that do business in the State;
  4. 1 individual shall be a renal social worker nominated by the Association of Nephrology Social Workers

Sumeska Thavarajah, MD - Chairman
Sonal Korgaonkar, MD- Vice Chairman
Adam Berliner, MD
Donna Hanes, MD
Nadiesda Costa, MD
Arul Vigg, MD
Jacqueline Hires, LCSW NSW-C
Tisha Guthrie, LMSW
Jerome Chiat
Olawale Turton, RN, MSN ​
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