News You Need
In Case You Missed It!

The Link Between Long Term Care and Outpatient Dialysis Clinics, COVID-19 and Beyond (Part of Telligen’s Long Term Care Office Hours Series) is now available.
Staying Up to Date
with COVID-19

Qsource ESRD Network 12 has information for staff and patients related to COVID on our website. See our latest COVID-19 Newsletter. Also, frequently visit the CDC website as well as the American Society of Nephrology.
Preparing for a Surge
ASN COVID-19 Toolkit for Nephrology Clinicians
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) has collected a number of best practices developed by nephrologists and nephrology team members. The toolkit provides information and resources for several topics including: general considerations across nephrology care, outpatient dialysis, acute dialysis, urgent start peritoneal dialysis, home dialysis, and kidney transplant. Download the toolkit.
Important CMS Memo Regarding Technical Assistance
for COVID-19 
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, ESRD Networks are being tasked by CMS to provide targeted technical assistance to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19 in the dialysis population. This technical assistance is focused on infection control and may include training, education, and dissemination of guidance or other focused assessment. ESRD Networks are using a data-based methodology to determine where to focus their efforts. This includes a review of doubling days for dialysis COVID-19 cases, hotspot data, and information from local health departments. We appreciate your efforts as we continue to work together on COVID-19 efforts and ask for your continued engagement in ongoing ESRD Network activities to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19 in the dialysis population If you have any questions regarding this memorandum, please contact Shalon Quinn at Shalon.Quinn@cms.hhs.gov.

Upcoming Network Events
NPR Connection Calls
The Network Patient Representative (NPR) Connection Call provides an opportunity for NPRs to connect with the Network and each other, share ideas and learn what they can do at their clinic to improve the patient experience.

The 2020 Patient Engagement Calendar provides monthly guidance and resources for NPRs to work with their clinic staff to create a patient engagement activity educating patients on the topic.
Upcoming Dates:

September 10 and 11
Topic: My Choices: My Lifeline

October 8 and 9
Topic: My Treatment: Treatment Matters 
Call Time: 1:00 p.m. CT

For audio, you will need to also call-in using the following information:

Phone: 1-866-899-4679 or 1 -571- 317-3116
Access Code: 554-197-389#
Webinar ID: 554197389

Other Events
Revised Schedule
COVID-19 Webinar Events for Professionals and Patients
Due to COVID-19, the NCC LAN call schedule has been altered. Please take some time to listen to the NCC Quickinars that are available for providers and patients. For the most up to date and recordings from previous calls, visit the NCC website.
CMS Stakeholder Calls

CMS continues to host regular calls with a variety of clinicians, hospitals, other facilities, and states in an effort to keep stakeholders updated on their COVID-19 efforts. For those unable to attend the calls live, recordings and transcripts are available on the CMS website.
American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Webinar Offerings

A list of future and past events can be found by visiting the ASN Website.
Patient Engagement
Topic of the Month
As part of the Network's efforts to support facility level patient engagement, each month we provide a "topic of the month" sheet for the upcoming monthly topic. Due to COVID-19, the Network changed the 2020 Patient Engagement Calendar.
August Topic of the Month | My Life: Work and Play
Work and play both look much different these days, but we still want to make sure patients are aware of the resources available that can help them continue to pursue working, their education, or a career change. We encourage all facilities to review the Topic of the Month sheet and use at least one resource to provide information and engage your patients on the topic of vocational rehabilitation. 

September Topic of the Month | My Plan: Be Prepared
In preparation for September, we encourage you to review the My Plan: Be Prepared” topic of the month sheet. If you have a Network Patient Representative (NPR), we encourage you to review the monthly "Topic of the Month" sheet with them and brainstorm ideas on how to best address the topic in your facility. 

Patient and Family Engagement in Action

Wondering what you can do to engage patients in their care and adhere to new COVID-19 guidance? Why not try a bulletin board or game that is tracked on the bulletin board in your lobby. The Network has developed several Bulletin Board kits with our Patient Advisory Council members to help address the topics of blood stream infectionhome dialysis, transplant and vocational rehabilitation. Or take our Patient Engagement Challenge! 
Patient Engagement Challenge
The Patient Advisory Council would like to challenge all dialysis clinics in the Network region to do a patient engagement activity to help patients cope with fluid management during the next few months. Let your creativity flow and bring in a fun activity to motivate and encourage patients as they manage the heat and thirst! 
The Network has several resources available to help you. 

Complete your activity and submit a Patient Engagement Activity report to the Network with your results by Sept. 15. Share what you did for the activity, what your goals were and how you met them and include a photo of the activity.

Submissions will be reviewed by the PAC and a clinic winner will be selected! There will be a prize awarded to the clinic selected and all will be acknowledged for your participation in this e-newsletter. We look forward to seeing your Patient Engagement IN ACTION! 
Resource Highlights
COVID-19 and Compassion Fatigue Webinar Recording
This webinar was hosted by IPRO-ESRD Network 2 in response to the impact of COVID-19, recognizes that the intense and complex dynamic for ESRD staff and patients that it has created. Facility staff has had to make major adjustments to accommodate the increased needs of all their patients. These adjustments coincide with an intense workload and longer hours. These strenuous factors can lead to intense feelings of burnout and compassion fatigue.
Patricia Smith, the founder of the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project and Health Caregiving, LLC (www.compassionfatigue.org) presents on the webinar focusing on compassion fatigue and providing a discussion on prevention strategies.  
Additional resources on Compassion Fatigue: 

Quality Improvement Corner
Telemedicine Feedback and Technical Support
Did your facility receive a “Feedback and Technical Support” document for “Telemedicine Use in the Era of COVID-19”? Qsource ESRD Network 12 developed a comprehensive tool that includes data comparisons, addresses barriers and provides resources in the support of utilizing telemedicine for ESRD patients. 
Long Term Care and Dialysis Facility “Change in Condition Alert” Communications Tool
A new Change in Condition Alert tool and huddle sheet is available. Developed in partnership with Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN), the tool helps to improve coordination of care of ESRD Patients between Nursing Homes and Dialysis Facilities.
New Vocational Rehabilitation Newsletter
Dialysis staff now have a new tool in their arsenal to allow them to support patients interested in returning to work or school. The Vocational Rehabilitation newsletter contains patient stories on how to balance work and dialysis and staff resources including Facility Best Practices, Referral Forms for Employment Networks, and Tips to Guide Patients through the process. Click here to review the newsletter.
Home Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Resource
Equipping both patients and staff with the right resources at the right time is important to educate on modality options including kidney transplant and home dialysis. Click Here for the August Home and Transplant Quality Improvement Activity resources.
Inpatient Medical Director Toolkit
A brand new Inpatient Dialysis Medical Director Toolkit has been released by the Forum of ESRD Networks, a not-for-profit organization that coordinates projects and activities of mutual interest for all ESRD Networks. The Forum also has toolkits for Professionals (e.g., Transitions of Care, Outpatient Medical Director, Vaccination, Kidney Transplant, Home Dialysis, QAPI, Catheter Reduction) and for Patients (e.g., Grievance, Depression, Financial Help).
Data News You Can Use
CROWNWeb eNews
Read the latest CROWNWeb eNews for more information on the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP) Payment Year (PY) 2021 ESRD QIP Preview Period.

National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Reporting
2020 NHSN Data Deadlines
Q2 (April-June): Sept. 30
Q3 (July.-Sept.): Dec. 31
NHSN is the nation’s most widely used healthcare-associated infection tracking system. NHSN provides facilities, states, regions, and the nation with data needed to identify problem areas, measure the progress of prevention efforts...

Recalls and Safety Alerts
This resource was developed while under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contract #HHSM-500-2016-00012C. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 20.Q-ESRD12.07.048