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Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD

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Specializes in: Adult Nephrology, Pediatric Nephrology and General Pediatrics

University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

Professional interests include: kidney transplant, chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension (high blood pressure), and more.

2115 S. Fremont Avenue Suite 2200
Springfield, MO 65804

(417) 820-2229

Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD is a nephrologist in Columbia, MO specializing in adult nephrology, pediatric nephrology and general pediatrics. She graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD is affiliated with University of Missouri Health Care, Mercy Health System and THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI.

Office Locations

Address:

1 Hospital Drive
Columbia, MO

Address:

1 Hospital Drive
Columbia, MO 65212

Address:

1020 Hitt Street
Columbia, MO

Address:

1020 Hitt Street
Columbia, MO 65212

Address:

1965 S. Fremont Avenue Suite 300
Springfield, MO 65804

Address:

2115 S. Fremont Avenue Suite 2200
Springfield, MO 65804

Address:

3101 W. Broadway
Columbia, MO 65203

Address:

315 Business Loop 70 West
Columbia, MO 65203

Address:

3300 Lemone Industrial Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201

Address:

404 N. Keene Street Suite 101
Columbia, MO 65201

Address:

604 Old Highway 63 N
Columbia, MO 65201

Some issues Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD can help you with:

Dialysis

Dialysis is a procedure that replicates renal (kidney) function by filtering patients' blood. When kidneys do not work properly, waste can accumulate in the blood and unbalanced chemicals can impair the body's critical functions. In order to stay healthy, a person without proper kidney function must receive dialysis. There are two forms of dialysis treatment: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both forms of dialysis are recurring treatments that in many cases last throughout the lifetime of the affected patient. Patients who briefly lose renal function may slowly reduce the frequency of dialysis sessions until their kidneys recover. However, most patients who start on dialysis remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives or until they receive a kidney transplant.

A number of conditions can worsen renal function and lead to end-stage or acute kidney failure. When kidneys fail (i.e. nearly 90 percent of their function is lost), dialysis is typically prescribed. Conditions that cause chronic kidney failure (eventually requiring dialysis) include:

Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
Pyelonephritis, recurring kidney infection
Glomerulonephritis, inflammation of the kidney's filtering parts
Polycystic kidney disease
Interstitial nephritis, inflammation of the kidney's tubules
High blood pressure
Vesicoureteral reflux, improper bladder emptying

For hemodialysis (the more common form of dialysis), a patient will visit a hospital or clinic and be connected to a dialysis machine by a needle attached to a tube that draws blood from the arm. The drawn blood is transferred to the dialysis machine, where it is filtered and separated until clean. Waste products from the blood pass into a fluid called dialysate, which is pumped out of the machine into a waste receptacle. The machine also measures and helps ensure the blood has the appropriate level of fluid, electrolytes, and pH. A tube delivers the cleaned blood back into the patient's body. A dialysis session like this will typically last for three to four hours, with a patient undergoing dialysis around three times per week.

A second method of dialysis is known as peritoneal dialysis. Unlike hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home by oneself after an initial surgery. To start, a physician (generally a surgeon) will make a small incision in the lower abdomen and insert and surgically attach a catheter (thin tube). At home, the patient connects a pump to the abdomen catheter, delivering dialysate (dialysis fluid) from a bag hanging on a wheeled stand. This fluid enters the peritoneal cavity (greater abdomen area containing the stomach, liver, and intestines) and collects waste through osmosis, where waste in the blood moves across a membrane and into the dialysate. This process continues for several hours until the fluid concentration is equal between the blood and dialysate, at which point the fluid can be drained. The fluid can then be passed through a machine called a cycler, which removes waste and allows for the dialysate to be reused. This process is repeated about four times per day. Dialysis patients must limit the amount of fluid they consume prior to receiving dialysis and should also avoid eating salty foods. The cycler cannot filter more than a certain amount of waste products from the blood.

Kidneys are important organs, and dialysis treatments are vital for those with renal dysfunction. For many, dialysis is not so much a medical procedure but a part of their normal life.

In The News

“Laura Hesemann, chair of pediatrics and physician-in-chief for the Children's Hospital, said the physical and occupational therapists use the wall murals when working with patients.”—"New MU Children's Hospital strives to make patients, families feel at home | Jefferson City News-Tribune", News Tribune, May 2024

“"There's a big staffing crunch right here in Columbia, and it's not just us," said Dr. Laura Hesemann, MU Health Care COVID-19 incident commander.”—"Surging COVID-19 cases strain Missouri hospitals, schools", Associated Press News, January 2022

“"Hospitalizations lag behind what is happening in the community," said Dr. Laura Hesemann, chief of staff at University of Missouri Health Care, where some non-emergency procedures are being...”—"'Completely full' ICUs as omicron wave stresses hospitals; FDA expands use of remdesivir. Latest COVID-19 updates", USA Today, January 2022

doctor visit	41
hospital care	63
inpatient care	63

**Gender**
Male	88
Female	80

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	134
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	50
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	84

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	54
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	49
Depression	42
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	25
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	60
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

dialysis	62
doctor visit	162
hospital care	582
inpatient care	582

**Gender**
Male	142
Female	130

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	216
Black	41
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	84
From 75 to 84	47
85 and over	13
Less than 65	128

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	57
Depression	44
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	36
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	56
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	31
Diabetes	64
Dementia	15
Cancer	8

dialysis	17
doctor visit	119
hospital care	33
inpatient care	33

**Gender**
Male	54
Female	56

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	86
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	30
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	56

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	37
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	40
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	52
Dementia	0
Cancer	0

dialysis	123
doctor visit	117
hemofiltration	29
hospital care	257
inpatient care	257

**Gender**
Male	101
Female	98

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	163
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	77
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	89

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	66
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	59
Depression	45
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	55
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	29
Diabetes	60
Dementia	15
Cancer	10

dialysis	66
doctor visit	85
hemofiltration	20
hospital care	181
inpatient care	181

**Gender**
Male	81
Female	76

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	127
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	59
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	72

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	57
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	40
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	49
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	26
Diabetes	58
Dementia	15
Cancer	13

dialysis	47
doctor visit	39
hospital care	109
inpatient care	109

**Gender**
Male	54
Female	67

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	88
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	36
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	62

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	43
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	47
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	59
Dementia	21
Cancer	14

dialysis	108
doctor visit	32
hemofiltration	18
hospital care	309
inpatient care	309

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2015 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD treated as a nephrologist in Columbia, MO were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

dialysis	71
doctor visit	87
hemofiltration	22
hospital care	219
inpatient care	219

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2015 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD.

**Gender**
Male	52
Female	50

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	4
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	81
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	0
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	4
85 and over	1
Less than 65	49
65 to 74	33

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD From 2015 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD treated were chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Hypertension	45
High Cholesterol	35
Stroke	2
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	9
Osteoporosis	2
Heart Failure	29
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	35
Atrial Fibrillation	8
Cancer	4
Dementia	6

Education & Training

Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD graduated from University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. She completed residency at University of Missouri Health System. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics/Nephrology and has a state license in Missouri.

Medical School: University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

Residency: University of Missouri Health System

Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics/Nephrology

Licensed In: Missouri

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

University of Missouri Health Care

Mercy Health System

THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Laura Ellen Hesemann, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Horizon Therapeutics plc	$7,560 PROCYSBI $7,560
Horizon Pharma plc	$2,200 PROCYSBI $2,200
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$405 SOLIRIS $155	$250
Baxter Healthcare	$185 Baxter $88	Renal - Non Product Related $51	Renal - PD $31	Renal - Amia $15
Retrophin, Inc.	$121 (815) Thiola $121
Other	$569 Auryxia $86	MiSight Contact Lens $84	System One $69	ACTHAR $54	VELTASSA $53	Other $224

**Types of Payments**
Honoraria	$9,760
Food and Beverage	$883
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$250
Education	$96
Consulting Fee	$51

Biography

Dr. Laura Hesemann works as a pediatric nephrology, adult nephrology, and general pediatrics. In her practice, she is particularly interested in hypertension (high blood pressure), kidney transplant rejection, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). She is affiliated with the University of Missouri Health Care and Mercy. Dr. Hesemann obtained her medical school training at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and performed her residency at the University of Missouri Health System. She has received distinctions including Subspecialty Attending of the Year, University of Missouri-Columbia Child Health Residency Program; Podium Presentation, Annual Dialysis Conference, Seattle, WA; and Flow-Dickey Undergraduate Research Fellowship, University of Missouri.