Dear Provider,

 

Thank you to all the facilities involves in the  Home Modalities Quality Improvement Activity. The Network has recently implemented a new process to collect feedback form facilities involved in all quality improvement activities. At the end of each month the Network will provide facilities a link for to complete a Monthly summary report. This is a place for facilities to provide feedback to the Network that can be shared with CMS.

 

The NCC LAN event was focused around the benefits of a Transition Care Unit. Transitional dialysis care is a hands on patient- centric approach to modality education.  These units ease patient into dialysis while exposing them to all modality options, allowing for informed decision making about which modality is right for lifestyle. 

 

Unfortunately, many patients end up crashing into dialysis for multiple reason. Often the rapid change in lifestyle associated with becoming an End Stage Renal Disease patients can lead to clinic and emotional issues for patients. Including, but not limited too:  

• Fear and anxiety
• Anger 
• Nervousness 
• Depression 

Patients who suffer form the above emotional issues may have poorer clinical outcome. A patient may miss treatment due to fear and nervousness of the unknown. Depressed patients may begin to withdraw and become non compliant with treatment, medications and diet. Patient become accustomed to have care taker (RN's and Tech's) manage their care and become less interested in their own treatment.

 

Transitional care dialysis units offer a solution to empower patient to take control of their own care. Patient should be aware their treatment and the options they have to receive treatment or not to treat their disease at all. These facilities allow patients:

• Time to adjust emotionally to their new lifestyle
• Time to recover medically
• Time to receive modality education
• Time to choose the modality the best fits their unique lifestyle