The Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition will present a webinar on Emergency Shelter: Medical Triage Considerations for ESRD Patients on March 12, 2014. The workshop is intended for emergency managers, red cross shelter nurses, and others who will organize response to disasters. Please inform anyone you know in that capacity. For details see http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/TriageESRD.pdf.
HHS has issued guidance about how the HIPAA Privacy Rule impacts the sharing of mental health information by healthcare providers. The guidance is posted at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/special/mhguidance.html.
CMS has extended the deadline for public comment on the new Emergency Preparedness Conditions of Coverage (dialysis) and Participation (transplant) to March 31, 2014. For details see https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/new-emergency-prep-proposal/. The extension announcement can be found at http://www.ofr.gov/(S(gbugu4cylehtoa4uzkojwtd2))/OFRUpload/OFRData/2014-03710_PI.pdf.
NKF’s 2014 Patient & Community Education Symposium will feature Everyday Heroes: People Living with Kidney Disease, in Portland on March 2, 2014. For more details see https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/patient-education-nkf-portland-mar-2/. A printable poster can be found at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/NKFPtld2014.1.pdf and http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/NKFPtld2014.2.pdf.
The organization My Employment Options for Job Seekers with Disabilities and Other Challenges will hold a Virtual Job Fair on March 13, 2014. For more details and registration, see http://myemploymentoptions.com/register-for-virtual-job-fair/.
The Third Annual ANNA Inland Northwest Nephrology Seminar will be held in Spokane on March 16, 2014. Topics will include fluid control, diabetes, labs, hepatitis, acute renal failure, access, addiction, and water treatment. You can find the brochure with full details at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/Inland2014.1.pdf and http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/Inland2014.2.pdf.
The FDA has announced that the recent recall of t:slim Insulin Cartridges made by Tandem Diabetes Care for the t:slim insulin pump (see https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/recall-tslim-insulin-cartridges/) has been expanded to include additional lots. The cartridges may leak, causing inaccurate dosing. For the expanded list of lot numbers, see http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm385837.htm.
Northwest Renal Network’s monthly patient flyer is now posted on our website at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/P/M/Monthly.htm. The featured topic for February is Care and Feeding of Your Vascular Access – Making Sure the Thrill Is Never Gone. These flyers are designed for posting in the facility waiting area, and for distribution to patients and family members. Contact our Patient Services Director, Lisa Hall (lhall@nw16.esrd.net) if you have questions or ideas for future monthly topics.
The Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition has prepared timely summary sheets of emergency preparedness recommendations for
Winter weather isn’t far from anyone’s mind in this hemisphere. CDC’s Winter Weather Health and Safety Tips can be found at http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/.
Idaho’s Treasure Valley is currently under Extreme Drought conditions, while the rest of southern Idaho, most of Oregon, and the Washington Okanogan are in Severe Drought. The rest of Washington is under Moderate Drought (see http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/Drought/). The EPA’s recommendations for dealing with a Severe Drought are found at http://www.epa.gov/naturalevents/drought.html, and Ready.gov’s drought tips are at http://www.ready.gov/drought.
The FDA has announced that they are studying diabetes drug Saxagliptin, marketed as Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR, for possible cardiovascular side effects. They are not recommending label changes at this time. For details see http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm385471.htm.
