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A Monthly Newsletter for Quality Insights Renal Network 4
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Welcome to the September issue of the Quality Insights Renal Network 4 e-newsletter. In this issue, we bring you information about Emergency Preparedness Month, updated recommendations for measles in healthcare settings, Sepsis Awareness Month, an update on antibiotic use in the United States, upcoming webinar opportunities, CMS updates, upcoming events and more.
We encourage you to
contact us
with any questions, concerns or suggestions.
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 FACILITY-LED PATIENT EDUCATION TOPIC OF THE MONTH: Emergency Preparedness
We will provide a Network 4 Patient Education Sheet each month in 2019. Please provide all of your patients with this education sheet each month. Also, we ask that you please encourage your facility's Patient Representatives to pass out this educational information.
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updated interim infection prevention and control recommendations for measles in healthcare settings
CDC's updated
Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Measles in Healthcare Settings can help clinicians protect against the spread of measles. Measles is most commonly spread from person to person either at home or in public settings, but it can also spread in healthcare settings. While the most important way to prevent the spread of measles is community vaccination, core measles prevention in healthcare settings requires a multi-faceted approach including:
- Ensuring healthcare personnel (HCP) have presumptive evidence of immunity to measles
- Rapidly identifying and isolating patients with known or suspected measles
- Adhering to Standard and Airborne Precautions for patients with known or suspected measles
- Routinely promoting and facilitating respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
- Appropriately managing exposed and ill HCP
CDC's interim guidance should be implemented as part of a comprehensive infection prevention program to prevent the spread of germs among patients, healthcare providers, and visitors.
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protect yourself and your loved ones this sepsis awareness month
September is Sepsis Awareness Month and this year marks the second anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Get Ahead of Sepsis educational effort.
Did you know that each year at least 1.7 million adults in America develop sepsis, and nearly 270,000 die as a result? Spread the word about sepsis prevention and recognition during Sepsis Awareness Month. It could save a life.
Sepsis is the body's extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection you already have-in your skin, lungs, urinary tract, or somewhere else-triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.
Here's what you can do to get ahead of sepsis:
- Test Your Knowledge with CDC's New Sepsis Quiz. If you or a loved one had sepsis, would you be able to spot it? Take CDC's new sepsis quiz, so you can protect yourself and your family from this life-threatening condition.
- Share the CDC's Free Educational Materials. Learn how to prevent infections, be alert to the signs and symptoms of sepsis, and act fast if sepsis is suspected. Download the CDC's FREE educational materials for patients and healthcare professionals-including fact sheets, brochures, social media, shareable videos, and Spanish-language materials.
- Go Social. Add the Get Ahead of Sepsis Facebook frame to your profile picture to show your support and help others learn how they can prevent sepsis or spot it early when it happens. To add the frame, search "Get Ahead of Sepsis" on the Facebook profile picture frames page.
- Share videos and graphics with your friends and loved ones. This information could save a life.
To learn more about sepsis and how to prevent infections, visit www.cdc.gov/sepsis.
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Update on antibiotic use in the united states: progress and opportunities
Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Antibiotic Use in the United States: Progress and Opportunities, 2018 Update, which is an update to CDC's 2017 antibiotic stewardship report. Improving antibiotic use is important to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use, and combat antibiotic resistance, one of the most urgent threats to the public's health.
Progress has been made in improving antibiotic prescribing and use, but many opportunities remain. Help spread the word about this updated report by:
- Reading the report. This updated report highlights data from 2018 studies, program activities, and resources related to antibiotic prescribing and use in healthcare settings.
- Sharing the report broadly with your network and partners. This report also includes examples of antibiotic stewardship improvements in outpatient, inpatient, and long-term care settings from healthcare facilities and organizations across the country.
- Joining the conversation about antibiotic stewardship on social media. Like and share CDC's antibiotic stewardship content on LinkedIn and Twitter (@CDC_NCEZID).
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Networks partner with MTPPI to host free webinars on PCORI findings
This fall, together with Medical Technology and Practice Patterns Institute (MTPPI), Quality Insights Renal Networks 3, 4 and 5 will provide a series of free webinars targeted to patients, dialysis facility staff, and nephrologists. The webinars will disseminate findings from Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) studies. Registration is required for each webinar and continuing education credit will be provided to social workers. See additional details below.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. EST
Depression in Dialysis Patients
Speaker: Dr. Rajnish Mehrotra
Audience: Patients
Register today.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. EST
Depression in Dialysis Patients
Speaker: Dr. Rajnish Mehrotra
Audience: Dialysis facility staff, nephrologists
Register today.
Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. EST
Shared Decision Making - Renal Supportive Care
Speakers: Dr. Joan Berzoff and Jenny Kitsen
Audience: Social Workers
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CDC/STRIVE Announces free infection control training courses
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the launch of the first two of 11 new infection control training courses, Hand Hygiene and Competency-Based Training. These courses are part of the new States Targeting Reduction in Infections via Engagement (STRIVE) curriculum intended for the infection prevention team, hospital leaders, clinical educators, nurse and physician managers, environmental services managers, all patient care staff, and patient/family advisors. Additional courses will be launched over the summer.
These training courses were developed by national infection prevention experts led by the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
All courses are free and offer continuing education (CE).
Access the new courses at the STRIVE training page.
The STRIVE curriculum will include over forty individual training modules grouped into 11 courses that focus on Foundational and Targeted infection prevention strategies.
Foundational Infection Prevention Strategies
Targeted Infection Prevention Strategies
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI)
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia
- Clostridioides difficile Infection (CDI)
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI)
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| CMS Updates |
nhsn to begin Collecting Individual dialysis event dates in 2020
The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) will begin collecting individual dialysis event dates in 2020. Currently, related events are reported on one form, with one event date (for example, positive blood culture and a related IV antimicrobial start). NHSN is moving toward collecting an individual event date for each event type, even if the events are related. Individual event date fields will be optional in 2020 and required by 2021. Download this overview from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more.
For questions, please email [email protected] and put "dialysis" in the subject line.
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publication of the proposed rule for cY 2020 ESRD PPS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the public display of the proposed rule for the calendar year (CY) 2020 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS), available online at the Federal Register. The CY 2020 ESRD PPS proposed rule includes proposed requirements for the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP) beginning with Payment Years (PYs) 2022 and 2023.
CMS welcomes public comment on these proposals. The public comment period will be from July 29, 2019 to September 27, 2019. Comments can be made on the CY 2020 ESRD PPS proposed rule using regulations.gov by searching for CMS-1713-P.
The Administrative Procedure Act prohibits CMS from answering any specific questions beyond details of the proposed policies or addressing your opinions about the proposed rule. CMS welcomes your comments through the formal comment submission process.
Further information about the ESRD QIP is available at CMS.gov.
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Transition Period for new medicare card ends in less than five months
Starting January 1, 2020, you must use the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). Claims submitted with the Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) will be rejected, with a few exceptions and reject all eligibility transactions. Protect your patients' identities by using MBIs now for all Medicare transactions. Ask your patient for his or her card. If he or she did not get a new card, give them the Get Your New Medicare Card flyer in English or Spanish. For more information, see the MLN Matters article.
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dhhs issues memo on premium withholding issues for some medicare advantage and drug programs
A memo from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) describes an error that may impact some Medicare plan enrollees. View the memo for more information.
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ICH CAHPS reminder and resources
Remember to check the official web site for the ICH CAHPS Survey regularly for updated information about the ICH CAHPS Survey. Also, consider checking out the following resources:
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| Upcoming Events |
 Join our "Dialysis Means Life" team for the philadelphia kidney walk on October 13
Quality Insights Renal Network 4 invites you to be a part of the "Dialysis Means Life" team in support of the Philadelphia Kidney Walk on Sunday, October 13 at the Philadelphia Art Museum. Registration is free.
Philadelphia Kidney Walk Agenda
7:00 a.m. - Registration Opens/Morning Activities
8:00 a.m. - Opening Ceremony
8:30 a.m. - Walking Begins
The distance of this walk is three miles. There is also a one mile loop option. This walk is about celebrating the local kidney community. If you can't walk, there are plenty of other opportunities for fun. Download the Philly Kidney Walk flyer to learn more.
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Annual kidney transplant symposium to be held october 22
Penn Transplant Institute will be hosting its Annual Kidney Transplant Symposium on Tuesday, October 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Smilow Center for Translational Research, Rubenstein Auditorium, located at 3400 Civic Center Boulevard in Philadelphia, PA. Continuing education credits are available. Agenda topics include:
- Overview of Kidney Transplantation
- The Kidney Transplant Surgery
- Living Donation: A Donor's Perspective
- Bariatric Surgery Before Kidney Transplantation
- Update from Renal Networks 3 and 4
- Understanding Vaccines and Kidney Transplantation
- The Organ Donation Process
- Live Donor Kidney Transplantation: Case Studies and Innovations in Paired Kidney Exchange
- Drug Use and Abuse Pre and Post Kidney Transplantation
- Post Transplant Medications and Compliance
- Update on Pancreas Transplantation
Download the symposium flyer to learn more. To register, call (800) 789-7366 by Tuesday, October 15. For questions, please contact Margaret Leid, Transplant Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or by calling (215) 298-3929.
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| ESRD Resources |
 special edition of kcer watch now available
The KCER Watch June newsletter is full of important information for facilities and patients coming into the Hurricane Season. The newsletter addresses the following topics.
- Preparation for the 2019 Hurricane Season
- Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan
- Building an Emergency Kit
- Assembling Items for a Three-day Emergency Diet
- ESRD NCC Patient Grant Library
- Download for the What If... KCER Awareness Campaign
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AAKP Expands Kidney pals website
American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) has expanded its Pediatric Kidney Pals web page that lists summer camps, pediatric/family focused HealthLine webinars and additional resources and articles. You can also sign up for the e-newsletter.
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