On February 17, 2015, AAKP will present a Healthline webinar and conference call, for patients with CKD or residual function, on The Importance of Understanding and Managing Protein in the Urine, aka proteinuria. For details see https://www.aakp.org/community/programs-events/aakp-healthline.html .
CMS will hold a Special Open Door Forum conference call next Wednesday, February 4, on the topic Understanding Dialysis Facility Compare-Driving Informed Decision Making in order to “allow patient advocacy groups, dialysis patients, and other interested parties to provide information and to solicit feedback on the introduction of star ratings on Dialysis Facility Compare.” For details see http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/ODF_ESRD.html . Slides to support the call will be available soon at https://dialysisdata.org/ (lower left).
Northwest Renal Network’s monthly patient flyer is now posted on our new website at https://www.nwrn.org/patients-a-family/ptedres/mon.html . The featured topic for January is Knowing Your Dialysis Machine. 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 FDA has announced Class II recalls for Baxter Amia, HomeChoice, and HomeChoice Pro Automated PD systems. For details see http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/enforcement/enforce_rpt-Product-Tabs.cfm?action=select&recall_number=Z-0939-2015&w=01142015&lang=eng and http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/enforcement/enforce_rpt-Product-Tabs.cfm?action=select&recall_number=Z-0932-2015&w=01142015&lang=eng . These recalls were originally issued in 2014, but the FDA has reissued the recalls.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released an online Safety Program for ESRD Facilities Toolkit, addressing infection control. Find the Toolkit at http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/patient-safety-resources/resources/esrd/index.html .
CMS has implemented their Star Ratings on the Dialysis Facility Compare website, http://www.medicare.gov/dialysisfacilitycompare/ . Facilities receive from one to five stars, based on clinical quality of care rankings, five being the highest quality of care. For information on the Star Ratings release, see the CMS Fact Sheet at http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-01-22.html .
The Portland Kidney Group and NKF will present a Patient & Community Education Symposium on Exploring Treatment Options for People with Kidney Disease in Portland on March 15, 2015. Lunch will be provided. For information and registration instructions, see https://www.nwrn.org/files/N/PKG0315.pdf . For the PKG 2015 schedule, see https://www.nwrn.org/files/N/PKG2015.pdf .
