Author: IPRO

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings, Boston

The National Kidney Foundation 2019 Spring Clinical Meetings (SCM19) present a unique opportunity for renal health care providers to learn new developments related to all aspects of nephrology. An important objective of SCM19 is to present the latest insights into CKD care through a combination of interesting courses, practical workshops, thought-provoking symposia and insightful debates. SCM19 will be held May 8-12, 2019 in Boston MA. In-person registration is allowed, but many registration fees are discounted if you register online before May 6.

Extra-cost pre-conference course topics on May 8 include dialysis success, vascular access, ultrasound, supportive care, and updates on new developments in transplant, critical care, and glomerular disease. Extra-cost lunch workshop topics will include vascular access, electrolytes, hyponatremia, glomerular disease, reproductive health, hypertension, communication, and board review. For those unable to attend in person, live-streamed conference sessions will be available on burnout, obesity, safety, fluid management, opioids, social media, diabetes, community, lifestyle interventions, palliative care, and KDOQI update.

For more information and registration, see https://www.kidney.org/spring-clinical.

CMS/NKF Webinar on CKD Risk Reduction

CMS and NKF will present a May 22, 2019 webinar on on Population Health Strategies for Kidney Disease Risk Reduction, at noon PST. Nephrologists, dialysis facility medical directors and renal care providers are invited and encouraged to attend. The NKF CKD Change Package will be introduced, systematic strategies for improving identification and management of CKD will be described, and a population health strategy for registry function, QI, and patient engagement for people living with CKD will be presented. Register for the webinar at https://meetings-cms.webex.com/meetings-cms/onstage/g.php?MTID=e06e8b0a5642756b1b7a7e0998d0eeeb8. Find the NKF CKD Change Package at https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/02-11-8036_JBI_CKD_ChangePackV17.pdf.

Making Dialysis Safer for Patients: Optimal Vascular Access

Register now for a free one-hour webinar with continuing education

This World Kidney Day, CDC and the Making Dialysis Safer for Patients Coalition invite you to a webinar presenting the infection risks associated with different vascular access types. Discussion will include strategies and recommendations for successful catheter reduction to prevent bloodstream infections.

Webinar: Making Dialysis Safer for Patients: Optimal Vascular Access
Date: Thursday, March 14, 2019
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Registration:  Click Here to Register (at no cost)

Join us this World Kidney Day for a presentation on “Incident Vascular Access and Risk of Bloodstream Infection Among New ESRD Patients Receiving Hemodialysis” followed by a conversation about achieving optimal vascular access for patient safety.

Featured Speakers:
Sophia Kazakova, MD, MPH, PhD; Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, CDC.

Discussants:
• Vandana Dua Niyyar, MD, FASN, FNKF, FASDIN; Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Emory University.
• Tracy Jonelis, MD; Chief of Nephrology, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco Medical Center

Moderators:
Priti Patel, MD, MPH and Ibironke Apata, MD; Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, CDC.

Continuing Education: Accredited for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, certified health educators, public health professionals and other health professions.

Audio: Please note the audio for this webinar will come through your computer speakers. During the webinar, please ensure that your speakers are turned on and the volume is up. Thank you.

 

NHSN Training

Required Annual Training: The Dialysis Event Module annual training has been updated and moved to a new platform called CDC TRAIN. Self-paced training and post-assessment will remain the same as the previous version, but the CDC TRAIN platform requires you to register with the site, and allows you to save your training certificates after completion. NHSN recommends that all users take this training, but at least one user per facility is required to take and pass this training annually. Find the training course and instruction guide at https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/dialysis/event/index.html. Email NHSN@cdc.gov with “Dialysis” in the subject line with any questions.

Training Needs Assessment: In taking the NHSN Dialysis Event Module Training Needs Assessment, some users experienced a system error which only permitted them to complete the Demographics section of the survey. If you experienced this, please retake the Assessment, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DialysisEventTNA. NHSN apologizes for the inconvenience and truly values your input. If you have not taken the Assessment yet, please do, to help NHSN better understand training needs for the Dialysis Event Module. The Assessment will remain open until May 31, 2019.

NHSN Dialysis Event Module Annual Training Update

The Dialysis Event Module annual training has been updated and moved to a new platform called CDC TRAIN. The content of the self-paced training and post-assessment will remain the same as the previous version; however, the CDC TRAIN platform requires each user to register with the site, and allows each user to save their training certificates after completion.

As a reminder, we recommend all users take this training, but at least one user per facility is required to take and pass the training annually. Users can access the training course and our instruction guide on our website under “Training” tab at: https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/dialysis/event/index.html

Please contact NHSN@cdc.gov with “Dialysis” in the subject line with any questions.

DFC Technical Expert Panel Nominations

CMS has commissioned UM-KECC to assemble 10-20 volunteers for a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) to formulate a process for periodically resetting ESRD clinical quality Star-Rating criteria so that the Ratings continue to differentiate facility quality of care when treatment-quality trends reduce the variation between facilities. Volunteers will include patients, caregivers, ESRD subject matter experts, methodologists, and specialists working on dialysis QI and healthcare disparities. The TEP will require a one-day in-person meeting in Baltimore in June, plus 3-7 conference calls before and after. Nominations must be submitted by April 5, 2019. The current call for nominations doesn’t mention it, but past TEPs have reimbursed travel expenses. For details and nomination forms, see https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/MMS/TEP-Currently-Accepting-Nominations.html#a0305.

CDC Webinar on BSI and Incident HD Access

CDC will present a March 14, 2019 World Kidney Day webinar on Incident Vascular Access and Risk of Bloodstream Infection Among New ESRD Patients Receiving Hemodialysis, followed by a conversation about achieving optimal vascular access for patient safety. CME, CNE, CEU, CECH, CPE, and CPH continuing education credits are available. Find more information and register at https://cc.readytalk.com/registration/#/meeting=f8wbng3dtcpm&campaign=vq0d1qix86ac.

QIP News: PSSRs, NHSN Deadline, Pain Assessment

PSSRs: CMS has announced that PY2019 Performance Score Summary Reports or PSSRs are now available. The PSSR is a spreadsheet containing the performance values of each facility for PY2019. It provides information about facility performance on each ESRD QIP measure as well as the Total Performance Score. Find the PSSRs at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ESRDQIP/Downloads/PY2019-Performance-Score-Summary-Report-.XLSX. It’s a 12+ megabyte file, so it may take several minutes to download and open.

NHSN: CMS has also announced an extension to the NHSN data entry deadline for the ESRD QIP fourth reporting quarter of 2018 (data for October 1 – December 31, 2018) from March 31, 2019 to April 1, 2019.

Assistance regarding PSSRs or the NHSN deadline can be obtained by contacting the ESRD QIP Support Team using the ESRD QIP Q&A Tool at https://cms-ocsq.custhelp.com/app/homeesrdqip/p/960. For questions or concerns regarding use of the ESRD QIP system, contact the QualityNet Help Desk at qnetsupport-esrd@hcqis.org or 866-288-8912 between 5am and 7pm PT Monday-Friday.

Pain Assessment data submission into CROWNWeb will no longer be required by CMS starting March 1, 2019. The Pain Assessment screen will remain active for facilities to review previously reported data. For details see http://mycrownweb.org/2019/02/pain-assessment-submission/.

World Kidney Day & National Kidney Month

DID YOU KNOW?
Each year, kidney disease kills more people than breast or prostate cancer.*

Help raise awareness of chronic kidney disease.
Wear ORANGE on March 14th!

March is National Kidney Month! CMS and the ESRD Program invite you to be a part of a national campaign focusing on kidney health. To show your support, consider one of the following activities on March 14th (World Kidney Day):

  • Wear an orange shirt, pants, dress, shoes, hair, etc. (be creative)
  • Take a selfie or have someone take a picture of you in your orange gear
  • Share information on your Twitter account about why all Americans should ask their doctors for a kidney checkup; Use #NationalKidneyMonth #Medicare
  • Post your picture and short statement to your Facebook page; Make your post public and use #NationalKidneyMonth #Medicare
  • Have fun with your posts

March is National Kidney Month, and its second Thursday – March 14 in 2019 – celebrates World Kidney Day. This year’s theme is Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere. Sources for more information and display materials include:

Free Resume Tips Webinar

My Employment Options will present a March 21, 2019 Resume Tips Workshop webinar. Topics include Formatting Tips For Resumes, How To Create Work At Home Resumes, How to Create Onsite Job Resumes, Gaps in Employment, and Career Changes.

Register at https://www.myemploymentoptions.com/webinar-registration-form/.

My Employment Options also offers free job placement services for recipients of SSDI and SSI, including work at home. See https://www.myemploymentoptions.com/apply-now/ for details.

CROWNWeb Pain Assessment Submission

Starting March 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will no longer require facilities to submit Pain Assessment data into CROWNWeb. The Pain Assessment screen will remain active for facilities to review previously reported data in the system.

Additionally, to comply with the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, facilities that meet the requirements for Pain Assessment should continue to enter data for the current open period (July 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018) that will close on February 28, 2019 at 11:59 PM PT.

For information on the requirements and instructions on how to submit data on Pain Assessment in CROWNWeb, please visit the Training videos on the Education page at http://mycrownweb.org/.