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.
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“Where the flowers bloom, so does hope.” - Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, former First Lady of the United States
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In This Issue:
- News and Updates
- CISA Releases Active Assailant Emergency Action Plan Template
- DefenCath® Catheter Lock Solution Now Available
- ESRD Medical Advisory Council: Bundled Payment Medication Resources
- Patient Services
- A Change Package to Improve Patient Experience of Care
- Home Dialysis
- Keys to Success in Home Dialysis: Engaging Physicians and Empowering Staff
- Hospital Admissions and ER Visits
- Tools and Tips for Addressing High Hypertension Rates
- Transplant
- Don't Miss a Match: The Critical Role of Monthly PRA Labs
- Vaccinations
- Recording Vaccination Status for New ESRD Admits
- EQRS
- EQRS Gets a New Welcome Screen and Enhanced Dashboard
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- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a new resource: the Active Assailant Emergency Action Plan Template and companion Instructional Guide to the Template. These products provide organizations and venue operators with tangible guidance to help develop a comprehensive and implementable emergency action plan (EAP). In addition to providing a fillable and tailorable EAP template and a companion instructional guide, these new products also introduce numerous other applicable resources conveniently organized to align with each section of an EAP. The resources are one of many CISA offers to assist the critical infrastructure community with active assailant security, which can be found here.
- Taurolidine and heparin (DefenCath®) catheter lock solution (CLS) is now available in the United States. This antimicrobial and anticoagulant catheter lock solution combines taurolidine, which has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, with heparin to help maintain catheter patency. It is effective against a wide range of pathogens, including Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, as well as Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fungal pathogens like Candida species. The efficacy of taurolidine and heparin (DefenCath®) CLS was demonstrated in the LOCK-IT 100 study, which showed a significant reduction (71%) in CRBSIs compared to heparin-only lock solutions. For more information, visit cormedix.com.
- The Forum of ESRD Networks' Medical Advisory Council (MAC) offers resources to assist providers and patients in navigating the Medicare bundled payment medications. The Summary Table of all dialysis-related medications provides the status of each medication in relation to the CMS bundle. The Sample Memo to Patients can be used as a template for educating patients on phosphorus binders under the bundled payment.
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A Change Package to Improve Patient Experience of Care
The Change Package to Improve Patient Experience of Care is designed to support dialysis facilities and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks in enhancing the care experience for kidney patients across all aspects of care. The change package includes actionable change ideas, collected from top-performing dialysis facilities, as identified by ESRD Networks. The proposed change ideas are intended as a menu of interventions from which program leaders can select to implement within their facilities.
Contacts:
Network 8: ericka.webb@allianthealth.org
Network 14: cassandra.hanna@allianthealth.org
Network 8: ericka.webb@allianthealth.org
Network 14: cassandra.hanna@allianthealth.org
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Keys to Success in Home Dialysis: Engaging Physicians and Empowering Staff
It’s no secret that the most successful home therapy programs have a supportive nephrologist who has adopted the mindset that home dialysis is possible for everyone. Peer storytelling is a powerful motivator for patients, and it can help persuade physicians to adopt new home program practices. Share rewarding and successful cases to engage them. If you need ideas to get your physician on board, read the NCC Home Change Package pages 4-7, linked below. For inspiration, feel free to contact us.
Another best practice of our high-performing clinics is to follow your company's policy for discharging patients to a home modality and ensure that assessments are completed in a timely manner. This will ensure that your clinic receives the credit for those home transitions.
An additional strategy to ensure patients receive credible home modality education is to train staff members on how to dispel common myths about home dialysis. The courses linked below focus on home benefits, myths, and overcoming barriers.
An additional strategy to ensure patients receive credible home modality education is to train staff members on how to dispel common myths about home dialysis. The courses linked below focus on home benefits, myths, and overcoming barriers.
Home Dialysis Contacts:
Network 8: katherine.buntin@allianthealth.org
Network 14: grace.robbins@allianthealth.org
Network 8: katherine.buntin@allianthealth.org
Network 14: grace.robbins@allianthealth.org
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Tools and Tips for Addressing High Hypertension Rates
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all U.S. adults have hypertension. Many individuals with hypertension do not have it under control, including dialysis patients. Hypertension ranks among the top eight reasons for ER visits and the top five reasons for hospital admissions in our Network regions. Many dialysis patients require ongoing education about blood pressure management and the prevention of adverse outcomes from uncontrolled blood pressure. Check out the resources listed below to help your patients learn about hypertension and how to prevent hospitalizations related to it.
As a reminder, the new Decreasing Hospitalization tip sheet was sent to all facilities on March 25, 2025, to share successful strategies that can help lower hospitalizations. Please contact us if you did not receive it.
Hospitalization Contact: koby.guthrie@allianthealth.org
Don't Miss a Match: The Critical Role of Monthly PRA Labs
The Panel Reactive Antibodies (PRA) test is a monthly blood test for patients who are active on the kidney transplant waitlist. Monthly samples are crucial and used to monitor the patient’s antibody levels. The PRA is the final test for compatibility, matching listed patients with deceased donor kidneys. If a PRA sample is not submitted each month, it can result in a missed transplant opportunity.
Tips to remember when drawing PRA labs:
- Designate a staff member to oversee the monthly PRA lab draws.
- Double-check to ensure the PRA tube is for the right patient.
- Write the patient’s name, DOB, and date of draw on the PRA tube. Complete any additional information required by the transplant center on the PRA tube.
- Fill the tube with the patient’s blood (DO NOT send an empty tube).
- Package the PRA tube according to the transplant center's instructions provided in the kit.
- The dialysis facility is EXPECTED to send the PRA tube via FedEx, UPS, or another courier designated by the transplant center. DO NOT have the patient drop off their PRA tube.
- Do not forget to draw each month or as requested by the transplant center.
- If you run out of PRA tubes and kits for patients, contact the transplant center immediately.
Transplant Contact: arlandra.taylor@allianthealth.org
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Recording Vaccination Status for New ESRD Admits
As we approach the end of our current contract, the Network requests all facilities to assess vaccination status and enter vaccination information for all new ESRD admissions, even if the facility is no longer offering or administering the flu vaccine. While many clinics stop administering the flu vaccine after March 31, CMS will continue to measure this through April 30. We don’t want your vaccination efforts to be diminished by new admissions, especially since most patients admitted in April were likely vaccinated prior to their admission.
Be sure to document any vaccinations in your EMR so they will be updated when your data is batched to EQRS. If your clinic does not submit data via batch upload, watch the video below and contact us if you need assistance. To view your vaccination rates in real time, as recorded in EQRS, use the vaccination dashboard.
Vaccination Contact: hayley.errington@alllianthealth.org
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EQRS Gets a New Welcome Screen and Enhanced Dashboard
New EQRS Landing Page
After logging in to EQRS, you are greeted by a personalized landing page with a friendly “Good morning" or "Good afternoon” message. From the landing page, you can access options like Dashboard, Facilities, Patients, and Reports.
Using the EQRS dashboard
There have been a few recent changes to the dashboard. If your facility is missing a backup facility, hours and shifts, or required facility contacts, you will receive a notification indicating the tasks that need to be completed. All updates can be completed by anyone with a facility editor role in EQRS. Be sure to update and maintain the following required facility contacts: Disaster Contact, Disaster Contact Back-up, and Primary Facility Contact.
The social determinants of health (SDOH) screening is found in the Overview section of the dashboard.
Information about Form 2728s and Form 2746s is also available on the dashboard. Check the dashboard for information about forms at least once a week. To improve your facility's on-time performance, focus on submitting forms promptly. Submitting forms after their due date will result in a decline in your performance score, and the form will remain part of your facility's forms score for one year from the date of submission.
Additionally, Account Management has moved. To request access in EQRS to another facility, click the arrow next to your name in the upper-right corner of the screen and select the Account Management option.
After logging in to EQRS, you are greeted by a personalized landing page with a friendly “Good morning" or "Good afternoon” message. From the landing page, you can access options like Dashboard, Facilities, Patients, and Reports.
Using the EQRS dashboard
There have been a few recent changes to the dashboard. If your facility is missing a backup facility, hours and shifts, or required facility contacts, you will receive a notification indicating the tasks that need to be completed. All updates can be completed by anyone with a facility editor role in EQRS. Be sure to update and maintain the following required facility contacts: Disaster Contact, Disaster Contact Back-up, and Primary Facility Contact.
The social determinants of health (SDOH) screening is found in the Overview section of the dashboard.
Information about Form 2728s and Form 2746s is also available on the dashboard. Check the dashboard for information about forms at least once a week. To improve your facility's on-time performance, focus on submitting forms promptly. Submitting forms after their due date will result in a decline in your performance score, and the form will remain part of your facility's forms score for one year from the date of submission.
Additionally, Account Management has moved. To request access in EQRS to another facility, click the arrow next to your name in the upper-right corner of the screen and select the Account Management option.
Resources:
EQRS Contacts:
robert.bain@allianthealth.org, mary.dearman@allianthealth.org or lenard.justice@allianthealth.org
robert.bain@allianthealth.org, mary.dearman@allianthealth.org or lenard.justice@allianthealth.org
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Our mailing address is:
ESRD Networks 8 & 14
P.O. Box 105337
Atlanta, GA 30348