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ESRD Network 12 is closely watching the COVID-19 pandemic and we continue to actively participate on the national and regional levels with ESRD patients and providers. The Network team understands that your facility may be greatly impacted by the increased demand for patient care and overall clinic operations. At this time, the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has not suspended national QIA participation.
Facilities may have the ability to be temporarily removed from participation, as appropriate, for impact of COVID-19. Please email us at
nw12-qidept@qsource.org
if your facility needs to be temporarily removed from participation. Please include in your email QIA contact name, facility CCN Number, and any facility updates on COVID-19 impact. For information on how Network 12 is supporting COVID-19 visits us online at
www.ESRDNetwork12.org
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Treatment Choice Champions Steering Committee
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In February, stakeholders, patients and providers formed a group of leaders in kidney transplant and home dialysis to help drive Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) interventions and education focus. Five actionable interventions were developed.
How does your facility align with these interventions?
- Does your staff (patient care technician, nurse, dietician, and nephrologist) know who to contact if a patient has a question or interest in home dialysis or kidney transplant? Determine one consistent person at your facility to follow-up with the patients, track education and interest, and to report at Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI).
- Does your facility practice telehealth techniques? For example, many facilities have dedicated tablets for dieticians and social workers to use to increase time availability for patient interactions and support.
- Does your facility practice preemptive home visits for patients interested in home dialysis?
- Do all rounding nephrologist and nurse practitioners support early promotion and frequent discussion of modality options?
- Do you regularly alter the tools and resources used when educating patients? By changing the look of tools regularly, you keep topics fresh in the minds of those looking at it. This may be especially helpful with bulletin boards and other static displays.
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Advancing the Use of Home Dialysis
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During the March End-Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center (ESRD NCC) Home QIA Learning Action Network (LAN) call, Dr. Tushar Chopra, MD, FASN reminded us to focus on what is important:
- Home first philosophy and education are key to growing a home program
- Urgent start peritoneal dialysis (PD) protocols can be deployed to effectively provide quality care with greater quality of life outcomes
- Telehealth is a great value-added component to a PD program
- Transitional start programs help prepare the patient for success in the self-management of their care
- Home dialysis can improve quality of life, and optimize their treatment outcomes
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Home QIA LAN participants were asked to indicate the most significant benefits to Telehealth/Telemedicine in PD. The survey results were:
- Patient and provider satisfaction | 9.5%
- Cost effectiveness | 14%
- Improved quality of life | 15%
- Reduced hospitalization or emergency department visits | 17%
- All of the above | 44.5%
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Intervention:
Work with your team to identify ways to incorporate the tips above, including telemedicine, into your current home program
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Increasing Patients on the Transplant Waitlist
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April is National Donate Life Month!
The Network 12 Patient Advisory Council members developed a bulletin board kit to support transplant awareness and patient engagement.
Intervention:
Create your own bulletin board using the
Transplant Bulletin Board Kit
at your facility to promote conversations around current patients on the transplant waitlist and patients who are interested in transplant workup.
Transplant LAN
During the March ESRD NCC Transplant QIA Learning Action Network (LAN) great focus was on the importance of a team approach at the dialysis facility to promote patient education on kidney transplant. As a promising practice, dialysis facilities involve the entire care team in transplant education to increase patient awareness.
Intervention:
Work with your team to identify ways to increase education for facility staff (dietitian, patient care technicians, social worker, nurses, nephrologist etc.) on transplant to promote patient education.
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Patient and Family Engagement
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As per CMS Guidance, due to COVID-19 and in following the social distancing recommendations, the Network advises facilities to use alternative means such as phone or online conferencing services to encourage patients to be involved in their Plan of Care and/or attend QAPI Team meetings. Attending support groups would not be recommended at that time thus, the Network has provided a listing of National Hotline and Online Groups for facilities to share with your patients.
Intervention:
Print and share copies of
the resource
with your patients.
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April 1 – April 30
| Donate Life Month
Friday, April 17 | Blue and Green Day
During National Donate Life Blue and Green Day, the public is encouraged to wear blue and green and to engage in sharing the Donate Life message and promoting the importance of registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor.
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This presentation was created, while under contract with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore, Maryland. Contract #HHSM-500-2016-NW012C. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 20.Q-ESRD12.03.025
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