This ESRD facility monthly newsletter highlights the latest ESRD insights and resources. Our goal is to provide you with a resource that makes it easy for you to stay on top of trends and support you in providing the best possible care for those you work with and serve.
In This Issue:
The Donate Life website shares these statistics:
- 85% of patients on the waiting list are waiting for a kidney. The average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor is 3 to 5 years. A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list (the living donor’s remaining kidney will increase in size, compensating for the work of two healthy kidneys).
- 60% of patients awaiting lifesaving transplants are minorities.
- Another person is added to the nation’s organ transplant waiting list every 9 minutes.
Donation and Transplantation FAQs for patients and family members can be found here: English, Spanish
A great infographic handout can be found here: English, Spanish
Finally, if you have patients who like to color to pass the time during treatment, click here: English, Spanish
Re-designed ESRD Network Websites are here!
We are happy to let you all know that our newly updated websites are now accessible. You can learn more about our new websites here: Network 8; Network 14. Be sure to scroll down to bottom of page to view Quick Links.
Disaster Preparedness
Spring has sprung and brought stormy weather with it to many areas of Networks 8 and 14. If that was not enough, Colorado State University has just released hurricane predictions for 2022, and the news isn’t great. An "above-average" 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted, with 19 named storms and nine hurricanes expected. Four hurricanes are expected to be major. We are now less than two months from the official start of hurricane season, which can also bring tornados to non-coastal areas. If your facility disaster plan needs review, now is the time, and we are happy to help if needed. Network 8 facilities can reach us at nw8info@allianthealth.org; Texas facilities can reach us at nw14info@allianthealth.org.
Depression
Studies suggest that dialysis patients who work have a better quality of life. These patients are often motivated to take an active role in their care because stable health helps with success and productivity in their work environments. Promoting vocational rehabilitation is one of the many ways we can promote mental wellness and optimal patient outcomes. The purpose of vocational rehabilitation is to help our patients regain and/or maintain employment, promote independence, and ultimately improve the patient’s quality of life. Vocational Rehabilitation goals include: Evaluating patients for referral to vocational and physical rehabilitation services. Assisting the patient in achieving and sustaining an appropriate levels of health. Making rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation referrals as appropriate.
CMS Goals:
- Increase the number of patients accurately screened and treated by a mental health professional for depression.
- Ensure that facilities report depression screening in EQRS.
Resources:
Network 8 Contact: ericka.webb@allianthealth.org
Network 14 Contact: ednesha.smith@allianthealth.org
EQRS Data Quality
We are now into the extremely busy 2744 season! Many of you have learned the hard way that inaccurate EQRS patient records will likely lead to a lengthy and complicated 2744 review. To be better positioned for your next review, please adhere to the CMS goals for admissions as well as 2728 and 2746 submissions as noted below. If you need assistance with EQRS issues, please click here to submit an EQRS service ticket to our Network help desk.
CMS Goals:
- 2% increase in rate of admission records from dialysis facilities entered within 5 days.
- 2% increase in rate of initial 2728 forms submitted from dialysis and transplant facilities within 45 days.
- 2% increase in rate of 2746 forms submitted from dialysis facilities within 14 days.
Resource: March 2022 Town Hall event was held March 24, 2022. This event discussed the ESRD Quality Reporting System (EQRS) calendar year (CY) 2022 reporting requirements, new EQRS features including Depression Screening, and EQRS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) as well as the ESRD Payment Year 2022 QIP Performance Score Reports and Performance Score Certificates. Click here to access this presentation.
Network 8 Contact: robert.bain@allianthealth.org
Network 14 Contact: sade.castro@allianthealth.org
Home Dialysis
The Dialysis Patient Citizens center is hosting a free webinar on April 28th at 1:00PM CST for staff and patients! This webinar will discuss the Basics of Home Dialysis and talk about home dialysis options, benefits of more frequent dialysis, introduce PD and HHD, and suggest a list of questions for patients to discuss with their physicians!
Click here to register.
CMS Goals:
- Increase the number of new ESRD patients utilizing home dialysis
- Increase the number of incenter patients moving to a home modality.
- Increase the number of rural ESRD patients using telemedicine to access a home modality
Resource: Choosing Home Dialysis
Network Contact: maryam.alabood@allianthealth.org
Hospital Admissions, Readmissions, and Emergency Visits
According to recent studies, patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic due in part to their comorbidities and other determinants of health. Most patients with ESKD receive in-center hemodialysis, which limits their ability for physical isolation for infection control. This combination of factors can increase the chances for unplanned ER visits, hospitalizations, and readmissions. However, the addition of telemedicine has proven to have acceptable clinical outcomes and even fewer hospitalizations compared to those patients only seen in person. Telemedicine is also a tool that can be utilized in rural areas and to address vulnerable populations with limited access to care, which can improve complications and hospitalization rates.
CMS Goals:
- Decrease the national rate of hospital readmissions
- Decrease hospital 30-day unplanned readmissions
- Decrease the national outpatient emergency department visits
Resource: To access the full studies, visit:
Network Contact: dany.anchia@allianthealth.org
Transplant
Finding a living donor or asking someone to share their spare can be difficult. Encourage patients to share their need for a kidney transplant using social media. One message or post can reach so many people, and one can find their donor from a stranger!
CMS Goals:
- Increase patients added to the transplant waitlist
- Increase the number of patients receiving a kidney transplant
Resource: Share the story of a single dad who received his kidney donation from a total stranger who replied on social media. Read or watch the story here.
Network Contact: arlandra.taylor@allianthealth.org
Vaccinations
Health equity is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to COVID-19 vaccine equity so that everyone has access to COVID-19 vaccines. There are many social, geographic, political, economic, and environmental factors that often affect vaccination access for certain population groups.
To support vaccine equity, the CDC has developed resources to help build vaccine confidence, share accurate information to educate about COVID-19, and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination.
For information on COVID-19 vaccine equity, click here.
CMS Goals:
- Achieve patient COVID-19 vaccination rate of 80%.
- Achieve patient influenza vaccination rate of 85%; achieve 90% of staff influenza vaccination.
- Achieve patient pneumococcal conjugate 13 (PCV, Prevnar 13) vaccination rate of 56%.
- Achieve patient pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV, Pneumovax 23) vaccination rate of 87%. achieve PPSV vaccination rate of 80% of patients over age 65.
- Achieve patient PPSV booster vaccination rate of 43%.
Resources:
Network Contact: kristi.durham@allianthealth.org
