In This Issue   Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) Learning and Action Networks (LANs) National Patient and Family Engagement (NPFE) LAN Peer Connection Calls New Resources for Patient and Family Engagement Human Centered Design (HCD) Project Updates American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) National Meeting Exhibit The Forum of ESRD Networks’ Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Newsletter

Quality Improvement

QIA Learning and Action Networks (LANs) Learning and Action Networks bring together stakeholders across the continuum of care to promote change around shared goals. The ESRD NCC LANs are designed to support achievement of ESRD Network QIA goals for BSIs, home dialysis use, and patients added to a transplant wait list. The LANs help connect cross-setting stakeholders and provide a forum for sharing best practices and identifying opportunities for collaboration. The LANs also assist with the rapid identification and spread of best practices. Below is an overview of the September QIA LAN topics. The meetings listed below are open to patients, providers, and other community stakeholders. Each meeting offers one continuing education unit.     September 3 Bloodstream Infections (BSIs) For this meeting, a panel of speakers from Portage Dialysis, part of the Maricopa Integrated Health System, will discuss how they were able to successfully reduce BSIs in the facility. The panelists, who include Marek Patyniak, RN, BSN, Jinkee Borja, RN, BSN, CNN, Barry Rubin, BA, RN, and Helen Rosales, RN, BSN, CNN, will provide examples of innovative staff practices and share resources for patient education. Click here to register:  https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ns8d1aynstzk&eom   September 10 Home Dialysis This LAN will feature Wendy Woods, who is Chief Executive Officer of Kidney Kare, Inc. Florida, a provider with services that include peritoneal dialysis, and both staff-assisted and self-care home dialysis. Ms. Woods will review ideas for promoting home dialysis to patients, including ideas for providing targeted education. She will also describe ways to use social media to promote home dialysis.  Click here to register:  https://cc.readytalk.com/r/dot2l88yuq15&eom   September 17 Transplant Join Jennifer Gander, PhD, a clinical epidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente Georgia Regional, as she discusses disparities in transplantation and the types of challenges faced by patients who are pursuing kidney transplant. Ms. Gander will also provide successful strategies to better enable staff explore the option of transplant with patients and family members.  Click here to register:  https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ynn2y0b05ult&eom

Patient and Family Engagement

NPFE-LAN Peer Connection Calls Watch, learn, and grow! That’s what NPFE-LAN subject matter experts (SMEs) hope kidney patients and their caregivers will do with the recently released Peer Connection call recordings. During August, the patient SMEs led three calls that focused on home dialysis, transplant, and, caregiving. The calls provided a way for patients, families, and caregivers to ask questions of NPFE-LAN SMEs, as well as gain insight on the challenges, benefits, and outcomes of home dialysis and transplantation from the patient perspective. While the live calls were open to patients, family members, and caregivers only, the calls were also recorded for use by the broader ESRD community. Click the links below to listen to a call recording or visit the ESRD NCC website. We encourage you to share this information with patients and providers, and to promote the resource with others in your community.  Home Dialysis Peer Connection Call Kidney Transplant Peer Connection Call Kidney Caregiver Peer Connection Call

New Clean Hands Count Resources Available Each year, members of the NPFE-LAN develop materials to support achievement of ESRD Network QIA and patient and family engagement goals. For 2019, the BSI Affinity Group created an interactive learning module, Test Your Hand Hygiene Knowledge, to complement resources from the Clean Hands Count campaign. The purpose of the learning module is to increase knowledge of infection prevention practices, and to encourage patient engagement in facility infection prevention activities. The module includes short video scenarios that are followed by questions designed to reinforce understanding of potential infection prevention sources and demonstrate proper hand washing techniques. Visit the ESRD NCC website today to access this new tool. Are you ready to Test Your Hand Hygiene Knowledge ?

Patient Grant Library Bookmarks Available to Networks Do you have an idea to help others with kidney disease? Do you need funds to start a creative project? The ESRD NCC Patient Grant Library has the information you need to help find a grant for that! Applying for a grant doesn’t need to be hard, and they can be awarded for something big or small. The ESRD NCC Patient Grant Library can help you find grants and funding sources, as well as resources to assist with writing and submitting an application.  Help spread the word that the Patient Grant Library has a grant for that! Contact the ESRD NCC at NCCinfo@hsag.com to request bookmarks you can share with patients, providers, and stakeholders in your community.

Human Centered Design

Increase Access to Transplant and Reduce the Kidney Discard Rate During 2018, the NCC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Accenture conducted research with patients, providers, and other renal stakeholders, to uncover root causes of behavioral factors impacting kidney transplant and discard rates. During June 2019, a second phase of the project was initiated. The ESRD NCC partnered with Networks 11 and 15 to conduct site visits with ESRD providers and transplant centers. Visits will continue through September, including visits held in collaboration with Networks 2 and 4. Additional activities for this project include partnering with ESRD Networks to identify best practices from the transplant QIA facilities, and to learn more about facility practices. Work on this phase of the project is expected to complete in September.

Increase the Use of Home Dialysis Modalities in the ESRD Community As part of the home dialysis primary research phase, the ESRD NCC conducted site visits in partnership with Networks 6, 8, 16, and 17. The site visits, which were held during July and August 2019, included interviews with patients, staff, and nephrologists to discuss common barriers to home dialysis referral and to learn about best practices or successful interventions used by the facilities.  The second research phase for the home dialysis project will include telephone interviews with stakeholders. Both phases of research are expected to to complete in September.

Develop a Patient Social App  During May 2019, the ESRD NCC held an ideation session as part of the Patient Social App development project. Session participants included patients, caregivers, CMS, facility staff, as well as a nephrologist, nurse, social worker, and dietitian. The session resulted in over 250 ideas for developing an app to help increase patient empowerment and activation. The ESRD NCC will use final synthesis findings to inform next steps for the project.

Communication and Coordination

Visit the ESRD NCC Booth at the AAKP National Patient Meeting The ESRD NCC will be exhibiting at the AAKP National Patient Meeting, September 6–8, 2019, in Washington, DC. For the 2019 meeting, the AAKP will be celebrating its 50th anniversary! This year’s agenda will include information about the latest in research and innovations in the kidney community. Stop by and see us at Booth 13 to Test Your Hand Hygiene Knowledge using the new NPFE-LAN interactive tool, learn more about the ESRD NCC Patient Grant Library, and get a copy of the new patient resource, Home Dialysis Conversation Cards .   Learn more about the AAKP National Patient Meeting by clicking on this link: https://aakp.org/programs-and-events/national-patient-meeting/ We look forward to seeing you!

Download the Forum of ESRD Networks Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit  The Forum of ESRD Network’s Kidney Patient Advisory Council developed the Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit to help patients who feel they may be depressed. The toolkit was designed by patients and for patients with the hope that it will help   explain the complicated topic of depression and how to find help. The toolkit is available in both En glish and Spanish. Download the Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit at: http://esrdnetworks.org/resources/toolkits/patient-toolkits/new-toolkit-dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit

Mark Your Calendar

NCC Event Calendar Click here to view the August 2019 event calendar. The calendar displays dates and times for the QIA and Patient Experience of Care LANs, National PFE LAN and Affinity Group meetings, Community of Practice calls, and Forum of ESRD Networks meetings.  Upcoming Health and Safety Observances October 2019, National Disability Employment Awareness Month The 2019 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) theme is "The Right Talent, Right Now." The purpose of NDEAM is to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and educate the public about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents. Find more information here: https://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/celebrate-ndeam/. October 6–12, 2019, Mental Illness Awareness Week Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. To increase awareness of mental illness, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) uses the first full week in October each year to educate the public and provide support. Check out the NAMI website to learn more. October 15, 2019 Global Handwashing Day This day is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap to prevent diseases and save lives. The 2019 theme is “ Clean Hands for All .” Visit the Global Handwashing Day website to learn more and obtain materials to help celebrate this important day! October 21, 2019, National Check Your Meds Day The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and Consumer Reports teamed up to promote the National Check Your Meds Day on October 21. Consumers are encouraged to bring their prescriptions to a local pharmacy for a medication review. Ask your pharmacy if they are participating this year. October 21–28, 2019, National Health Education Week Education is the key to healthy communities. National Health Education Week promotes health education and the role it plays in keeping us strong. It’s observed the third week of every October. The Society for Public Health Education co-sponsors the week along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

KCER Watch Newsletter The KCER Watch newsletter was developed to provide timely and relevant emergency preparedness education and information to the renal community, including important news and events from the emergency management field. The September edition of KCER Watch focuses on National Preparedness Month, the KCER Emergency Preparedness Week, and tips on how to avoid being a victim of a scam after a disaster. Visit the KCER website to access the September edition of KCER Watch and please feel free to share this resource!

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This material was prepared the End Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center (ESRD NCC) contractor, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy nor imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. FL-ESRD NCC-7N1T02-08302019-01.