Procedure Volume Patient Data Patient Conditions Reviews General Payments Back to Top

Home > RI Providers

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD

Accepting New Patients

(No ratings)

Specializes in: Adult Nephrology

Rush Medical College

Professional interests include: hypertension (high blood pressure), kidney problems, dialysis, and more.

375 Wampanoag Trail Suite 302
East Providence, RI 02915

(401) 649-4060

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD is a nephrologist in Riverside, RI specializing in adult nephrology. He graduated from Rush Medical College. Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD is affiliated with Brown Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Brown Physicians Incorporated, Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) and RIIH.

Office Locations

375 Wampanoag Trail
Riverside, RI 02915

(404) 649-4060

(401) 649-4061

open_in_new

Rhode Island Hospital (RIH)

375 Wampanoag Trail Suite 302
East Providence, RI 02915

(401) 649-4060

(401) 649-4061

open_in_new

250 Centerville Road Building E
Warwick, RI 02886

(401) 490-3838

(401) 490-3827

open_in_new

Some issues Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, 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.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, happens when bacteria enter the body through the opening where urine is normally released. The bacteria infect the lining of the urethra and bladder, turning them red and inflamed. This causes pain in the abdomen or pelvic area, a burning sensation during urination, a sense of urgency about going to the bathroom, frequent urination, and urine that smells bad and looks cloudy, or even contains traces of blood. If the urinary tract infection is severe, it may travel all the way to the kidneys, a more serious kind of UTI called pyelonephritis. Patients with this kidney infection might have blood in their urine, feel back pain, and develop a fever.

Urinary tract infections are extremely common: 12% of all men and 40-50% of all women will have a urinary tract infection during their lifetime. They are more common in women because women have shorter urethras, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel from the outside of the body to the bladder and cause an infection. Some people also have urethras that are an unusual shape or have an obstruction in the urethra that makes getting a UTI more likely. Also, certain chronic illnesses like diabetes weaken the immune system, so any bacteria in the body are more likely to cause an infection.

A urinary tract infection can be diagnosed very quickly by a doctor. A sample of urine can be examined under a microscope for the presence of bacteria or white blood cells. There are also diagnostic strips that can be used to test a urine sample without the need for a microscope. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment is a course of oral antibiotics, and most patients feel better within just a few days. There are some things that patients can do themselves to help reduce the risk of getting a urinary tract infection in the future. Stay well hydrated, wipe from front to back after going to the bathroom, wear breathable cotton undergarments, and don't hold it in when patients feel the urge to go.

In The News

“Dr. Douglas Shemin, former director of Brown Medicine's kidney disease and hypertension division, said he hired Alawieh in 2024.”—"Prosecutors say deported R.I. doctor had photos of Hezbollah, Iran leaders on her phone", Boston Globe, March 2025

“Dr. Douglas Shemin, who said he hired Alawieh at Brown Medicine, called her an "outstanding" clinician, physician and teacher who eagerly put in long hours without complaining.”—"Homeland Security says professor deported to Lebanon with US visa supported Hezbollah leader", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , March 2025

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2012 were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	191
doctor visit	261
hemofiltration	19
hospital care	232
inpatient care	232

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2013 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	119
doctor visit	325
hospital care	185
inpatient care	185

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	163
Female	134

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	192
Black	53
Hispanic	33
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	80
From 75 to 84	49
85 and over	30
Less than 65	138

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2013

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	17
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	56
Dementia	8
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2014 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	104
doctor visit	330
hospital care	157
inpatient care	157

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	165
Female	148

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	197
Black	56
Hispanic	41
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	76
From 75 to 84	69
85 and over	22
Less than 65	146

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2014

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	19
Diabetes	55
Dementia	12
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2015 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	88
doctor visit	290
hospital care	223
inpatient care	223

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	346
Female	338

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	428
Black	122
Hispanic	96
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	218
From 75 to 84	100
85 and over	62
Less than 65	304

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2015

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	59
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	18
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	56
Dementia	10
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2016 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	106
doctor visit	275
hospital care	163
inpatient care	163

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	142
Female	147

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	186
Black	51
Hispanic	36
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	98
From 75 to 84	54
85 and over	23
Less than 65	114

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2016

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	65
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	24
Osteoperosis	7
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	46
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	21
Diabetes	58
Dementia	15
Cancer	8

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2017 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	102
doctor visit	252
hospital care	165
inpatient care	165

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	161
Female	123

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	206
Black	37
Hispanic	24
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	108
From 75 to 84	55
85 and over	22
Less than 65	99

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	60
Depression	38
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	14
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	59
Dementia	16
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2018 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	50
doctor visit	244
hospital care	136
inpatient care	136

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	141
Female	117

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	179
Black	31
Hispanic	25
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	95
From 75 to 84	47
85 and over	29
Less than 65	87

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2018

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	60
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	16
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	24
Diabetes	60
Dementia	18
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2019 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	28
doctor visit	231
hospital care	188
inpatient care	188

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	137
Female	118

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	180
Black	32
Hispanic	28
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	95
From 75 to 84	56
85 and over	28
Less than 65	76

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	73
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	56
Depression	33
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	6
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	48
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	59
Dementia	14
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2020 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	52
doctor visit	185
hospital care	154
inpatient care	154

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	129
Female	94

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	170
Black	22
Hispanic	20
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	66
From 75 to 84	64
85 and over	21
Less than 65	72

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2020

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	60
Depression	35
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	10
Osteoperosis	5
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	52
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	52
Dementia	19
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2021 were hospital care, inpatient care and dialysis.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

dialysis	41
doctor visit	181
hospital care	114
inpatient care	114

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	114
Female	90

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	153
Black	15
Hispanic	22
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	85
From 75 to 84	54
85 and over	16
Less than 65	49

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	13
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	22
Diabetes	52
Dementia	13
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI during 2022 were hospital care and inpatient care.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	179
hospital care	103
inpatient care	103

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	106
Female	92

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	152
Black	0
Hispanic	21
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	64
From 75 to 84	67
85 and over	30
Less than 65	37

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	42
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	75
Asthma	20
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	27
Diabetes	54
Dementia	11
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD treated as a nephrologist in Riverside, RI were hospital care, inpatient care, dialysis and hemofiltration.

dialysis	88
doctor visit	250
hemofiltration	19
hospital care	165
inpatient care	165

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD.

**Gender**
Male	145
Female	127

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	38
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	185
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	31
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	55
85 and over	25
Less than 65	102
65 to 74	89

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD From 2012 - 2022

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

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	7
Ischemic Heart Disease	47
Depression	30
Chronic Kidney Disease	68
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	5
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	51
Atrial Fibrillation	14
Dementia	12
Cancer	10

Education & Training

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD graduated from Rush Medical College. He completed residency at Rhode Island Hospital. He has a state license in Rhode Island.

Medical School: Rush Medical College

Residency: Rhode Island Hospital

Licensed In: Rhode Island

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Brown Medicine

The Miriam Hospital

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Brown Physicians Incorporated

Rhode Island Hospital (RIH)

RIIH

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD does not have any reviews yet, be the first to leave a review of Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD here: Leave a Review

(No ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

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

**Payments by Company**
Amgen Inc.	$32,292 Sensipar $17,269	Parsabiv $14,917	$106
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP	$21,661 LOKELMA $14,249	$7,412
Relypsa, Inc.	$3,420 VELTASSA $3,420
AstraZeneca AB	$1,798 $1,798
Pfizer Inc.	$1,670 NonCovered Product $1,547	ELIQUIS $122
Other	$627 JYNARQUE $178	ACTHAR $135	Kerendia $117	Rayaldee $26	Velphoro $12	Other $159

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$29,926
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$19,350
Travel and Lodging	$8,685
Food and Beverage	$3,436
Education	$70

Research Payments

Dr. Douglas G. Shemin, MD has received 242 research payments totaling $1,732,436.

Biography

Dr. Douglas Shemin specializes in adult nephrology. His clinical interests include hypertension (high blood pressure), urinary tract infection (UTI), and kidney problems. His education and training includes medical school at Rush Medical College and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and residency at Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Shemin is professionally affiliated with Brown Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, and Rhode Island Hospital (RIH). He welcomes new patients at his office inEast Providence, RI as reported by Brown Physicians Incorporated.