The HHS Office for Civil Rights and the National Institute for Standards and Technology will co-host a conference October 19-20, 2016 in Washington DC on Safeguarding Health Information: Building Assurance through HIPAA Security. Register at https://www2.nist.gov/news-events/events/2016/10/safeguarding-health-information-building-assurance-through-hipaa-security by October 12, 2016.
The Renal Support Network will present a Patient Education Meeting in Glendale CA on September 18, 2016. The Meeting is free to patients and t0 one guest per patient attendee; the recommended donation for a healthcare professional attendee is $35. The agenda includes brunch, raffles, an inspirational talk by a transplant recipient, and sessions on high blood pressure, how dialysis works, and nutrition.
For details and registration see http://www.rsnhope.org/meetingssupport-group/ . The web page also provides links to
The Arbor Research Collaborative for Health will present a webinar September 15, 2016 on trends in hemodialysis shown by their DOPPS Practice Monitor surveys. The webinar will emphasize anemia management and intradialytic weight loss. For more information and registration, see http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1106091886730&ca=1836217f-032c-488e-b4bd-000c397fcdbd .
September 2016 patient support meetings in southern California are listed by date below. For details on the meeting, location, and who to call for more information, see http://www.esrdnetwork18.org/patients/support-groups/ . Meetings are sorted by County on this web page, so we’ve added the County name after each city. We abbreviate support group as “SG.”
Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) has updated their Clinical Practice Guideline on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD), and requests public comment by September 23, 2016. The draft revised Guideline, backup data, and comment form can be found at http://kdigo.org/home/guidelines/ckdmbdupdate/ .
CMS has provided clarification on the October 1, 2016 end of the one-year “trial period” for ICD-10. During the “trial period,” approximate (for instance, three digits instead of five) codes are not being audited. After October 1, 2016, all codes submitted must be fully specified. Details are provided at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/Clarifying-Questions-and-Answers-Related-to-the-July-6-2015-CMS-AMA-Joint-Announcement.pdf . More information on ICD-10 can be found at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/Frequently-Asked-Questions.html .
We’ve placed the September 2016 issue of Network Consumer News, the Northwest Renal Network patient newsletter, on the Network 16 website at https://nwrn.org/patients-a-family/ptedres/ncn.html . This issue covers access to care, involuntary discharge, and Network 16’s grievance process. This month we’ve included a Spanish edition, a large-print version, a feedback form, and a flyer about the September 23-25, 2016 AAKP National Patient Meeting in Nashville.
For more information on the following details about the AAKP Meeting, see https://www.aakp.org/images/downloads/AAKP_ConvBroch_2016_online.pdf
The FDA is warning healthcare providers who use Programmable Syringe Pumps from any manufacturer, that the FDA has been advised of many adverse events resulting from inconsistent delivery of therapeutic fluids when used at flow rates of less than 5 mL per hour, and especially at rates less than 0.5 mL per hour. Find details and FDA recommendations at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm518074.htm .
We encourage all renal service providers to connect or reconnect with their local Health Care Coalition (HCC) to ensure continuity of patient care and broader community collaboration during emergencies. Organized by state or local public health agencies and funded by federal grants, HCCs work closely with local emergency management organizations to provide an integrated approach to planning and response. It’s important that you make them aware, and keep them aware (they have staff turnover too), of the specialized needs of dialysis patients.
Northwest Renal Network is partnering with the Washington State Department of Health to present a webinar on Healthcare Coalitions and Renal Services: Partnering for Emergency Patient Care. Learn how your involvement can help make your community more connected and more resilient. The webinar will be at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/991998629 on October 18, 2016 at 10 am PDT. Audio dial-in information can be found on the webinar website.
CDC’s Making Health Care Safer program is focusing on sepsis. Sepsis can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. It’s difficult to diagnose, happens quickly, and can be confused with other conditions early on. Sepsis is a medical emergency. Time matters. When sepsis is quickly recognized and treated, lives are saved. Healthcare providers are the critical link to preventing, recognizing, and treating sepsis. For more information and resources on sepsis, see http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/sepsis/index.html .
