Technical Assistance: Increasing Patient and Family Engagement (PFE) and Improving Patient Experience of Care

For questions or technical assistance, please contact:
Brittney Jackson, LMSW, MBA
Patient Services Director
(203) 285-1213

ACTION REQUIRED:
 
A priority of the Network is to serve as a resource to both dialysis patients and professionals throughout quality improvement activities. 

DISCUSS:
  • Talk with dialysis team members and patients to identify root causes of barriers related to patient and family engagement.
  • Peer Mentoring Guidelines 
IMPLEMENT:
  • Identify an individual to serve as a patient ambassador in your facility by clicking here.
  • Set up a patient support group to help orient new patients or open communication among peers.
 
  • Invite a patient to the beginning and/or end of a QAPI meeting to allow them an opportunity to voice their concerns.
 
  • Share PFE policy with patients at the facility
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' main focus in all quality improvement activities (QIAs) is patient engagement.  Research has shown that facilities with patients whom are active members in their healthcare, achieve better clinical outcomes.
 
As a valuable participant of the healthcare team, patient advocates empower patients with renal failure to move forward with their lives after being diagnosed with kidney disease. They serve as a bridge for better communication with medical staff, which assures a better understanding of patients' concerns, issues, and priorities.
 
Tools & Resources
Plan of Care Meetings 

You can involve family members and care partners in patient plan of care (POC) meetings via telephone... patients too!
 
Part of the responsibility of the interdisciplinary team (IDT) is to include patients, and if requested, their care partners and family members in both developing/setting goals and reviewing the patient plan of care.
 
Is it acceptable to hold a plan of care meeting with the IDT and the patient, their care partner or family members (if requested) via telephone conference? As stated in the CMS Interpretive Guidance for the Conditions for Coverage for End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities, the answer is "yes."
 
"A substitute mechanism for a team conference needs to facilitate discussion among team members about the information gathered from the comprehensive patient assessment and provide the opportunity for team coordination and development of an effective, individualized plan of care for the patient to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved. To facilitate full team participation in conferences, any member, including the patient, may participate through telecommunication."   
Goals
  • Project participating facilities to implementation an internal policy and procedure and/or the development of a policy and procedure in regards to inviting patients, family members, or caregivers to be included in their plan of care
  • Identify an individual to serve as a patient ambassador 
     
We Want to Hear from YOU!
Please contact the Patient Services Director if you have questions, comments, or specific barriers that you would like to address.  Let us know if you have identified any best practices that you would like to share with the community.