CMS has issued revised guidance on Medicare Part D payment for beneficiaries on dialysis. See http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/N/MemoPartD.1114.pdf for details.
Monthly Archives: November 2014
QDFC Deadline Now 12/2
CMS has announced that the preview period for the Quarterly Dialysis Facility Compare (QDFC) – Preview for January 2015 reports (see https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/january-2015-qdfc-and-star-ratings/) will be extended until 5:00 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. Please note the QDFC-Preview for January 2015 reports are located at the new website address: http://www.DialysisData.org. New Master Account Holder information has been distributed to Networks and facilities in previous communications. Please also note that the helpdesk will be closed on November 27, 2014 and November 28, 2014 for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
For Patients: Volunteering and Caregiving
The latest Network Consumer News has been mailed to facilities for distribution to patients. If you haven’t gotten one, ask your facility, or contact the Network (http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/contact.htm). This issue is on Volunteering, with additional articles on
- The Wearable Artificial Kidney
- “Did You Know that Each Dialysis Clinic Gets a Report Card?”
- Self-Care Dialysis
There’s also a large print and a Spanish version of the newsletter, a feedback form, and a Word Search puzzle. You can find online copies of all this at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/P/NCN.htm.
Our Monthly Patient Flyer is also now posted on the Network website, at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/P/M/Monthly.htm. The featured topic for November is Caregiving. 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.
Sept. 2014 Network Patient Census
We’ve added the September 2014 Network patient census, aka Modality Reports, to the Network website, at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/modality/mode0914/Modality.htm. This census includes 3.5% more patients than the prior September. Find the full fourteen-year time series of the Network’s patient census reports at http://www.nwrenalnetwork.org/statsmode.htm.
NDEP Guiding Principles for Diabetes Care
The NIH National Diabetes Education Program has released Guiding Principles for Diabetes Care, a 10-step program for improving care of people with or at risk for diabetes. For the announcement, see http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2014/niddk-12.htm. For the Principles see http://ndep.nih.gov/hcp-businesses-and-schools/guiding-principles/.
2014 KCER Summit 12/3
The Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition will hold the 2014 KCER Summit: Recipes for Preparedness as part of the CMS Healthcare Quality Conference in Baltimore MD on December 3, 2014. For details and registration see http://www.qualitynetonline.com/Agenda.aspx.
Healthcare Quality Conference 12/2-4
The 2014 CMS Healthcare Quality Conference, titled “Moving from Vision to Reality,” will be held December 2-4, 2014 in Baltimore MD. The Conference will focus on communication & coordination, infrastructure & data, innovation, patient & family engagement, prevention & treatment, reducing disparities, safer care, sustainability & spread, and value. For details and registration see http://www.qualitynetonline.com/Default.aspx.
Infection Control Webinar 12/11
The ESRD Network Coordinating Council National Healthcare Associated Infections Learning and Action Network will present a free December 11, 2014 webinar on Universal Precautions, Your First Line of Defense. It will offer 1.0 CE credits for nurses and technicians. For details see http://esrdncc.org/esrd-network-coordinating-center-offers-free-webinar-on-universal-precautions-for-esrd-community-december-11-2014/.
HIPAA, Privacy, and Emergency
The HHS Office of Civil Rights has issued a bulletin to remind everyone about HIPAA Privacy in Emergency Situations, at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/special/emergency/hipaa-privacy-emergency-situations.pdf.
CDC on Diabetes Safety
For National Diabetes Month, CDC has published a poster, brochure, and several other resources to promote safe diabetes treatments. Find them at http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USCDC/bulletins/dc423a.
