Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) has released a draft of their new Transplant Candidate Guidelines for public comment until November 26, 2018. They will publish a final version after they have reviewed the comments. See https://kdigo.org/guidelines/transplant-candidate/ for details.
The National Forum of ESRD Networks has revised the Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit and added a video. Find the revised English version at http://esrdnetworks.org/resources/toolkits/patient-toolkits/new-toolkit-dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit/dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit-english and a Spanish version at http://esrdnetworks.org/resources/toolkits/patient-toolkits/new-toolkit-dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit/dialysis-patient-depression-toolkit-spanish. A related video interview with a dialysis patient has also been recorded. Find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Iv6JytQt4.
The FDA has announced recalls of 120 Fresenius 2008T Hemodialysis Systems with BlueStar Premium Upgrade kits:
In the hemodialysis machine during the cleaning/disinfection program, when there is a power failure or interruption, the dialysis program button should be greyed out when the machine is powered up and a mandatory rinse should be required. However, if a power failure or interruption occurs during the cleaning/disinfection program with the auto-start feature enabled, the machine enters the dialysis program even though the dialysis program button is disabled and the mandatory rinse has not been performed. As a result, disinfecting chemical may not be completely removed from the machine before starting a treatment and disinfectant could exist in the dialysate delivered to the patient.
The Coalition for Supportive Care of Kidney Patients will present a 15 November 2018 webinar on Mapping the Future: Implementation Strategies for Kidney Supportive Care. This is the first in a series of webinars that parallels a series of Nephrology News & Issues articles on “supportive care” for kidney patients that will begin in the November 2018 issue. Direct any questions you have to Kelly Brooks at kbrooks@nw5.esrd.net or 804-320-0004 x2706
Current plans include future webinars in the series on Providing Supportive Care: Tools & Resources for the Journey in December and Best Case/Worst Case and Older Patients in January. Once they are scheduled, you can register for these webinars at https://qualitynet.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=qualitynet&service=6.
The Coalition for Supportive Care is an evolution of the earlier Kidney End-of-Life Coalition. Their mission is to “Promote effective interchange among patients, families, healthcare professionals, and payers to ensure the provision of patient-centered supportive care for patients with kidney disease. Supportive care is the continuum of palliative care and includes providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness. The goal of the Coalition is to improve the quality of life for both patients and families from the time of diagnosis through to end-of-life care.” Find out more about the Coalition for Supportive Care at https://kidneysupportivecare.org/Home.aspx.
The OR SW-Wa Chapter of CNSW will present a November 7, 2019 Nephrology Palliative Care Workshop in Portland OR. For full details see below:
The Coalition for Compassionate Care of California will host two more presentations this year in their Pediatric Webinar Series. The first will be 13 November on Getting a Better Handle on Parents’ Bereavement: Supporting Parents Anticipating Their Child’s Death and Afterwards, and the second 6 December on Deep in the Weeds: Medical Marijuana and Pediatric Palliative Care. Find out more and register at https://mailchi.mp/coalitionccc.org/2018-spring-education-schedule-744635?e=67e1ad4c31.
Along with the Children’s Hospice Palliative Care Coalition, CCCC will also co-sponsor the 2019 Palliative Care Summit April 8-9, 2019 in San Francisco. For more information see http://ccccsummit.org/. Registration gets progressively more expensive after January 31, March 7, and April 1, 2019.
NKF and the Portland Kidney Group will hold their Annual Holiday Party on November 11, 2018. Light kidney-friendly food and drinks will be provided, so you need only bring your family, your friends, and your appetite. However, please RSVP before November 4 with the number of people you expect to bring, so an appropriate amount of food can be stocked! A renal dietitian will talk about hearty but kidney-friendly holiday cooking. Volunteers to help with the Party will be welcomed. Find all the details you’ll need at https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/N/PKG/PKG.Holiday.Party.2018.pdf.
NHSN will present four ESRD Component trainings during November 2018. Listen-only audio for these will be available through your computer’s speakers. If you need audio via telephone, the dial-in number for all sessions is 303-248-0285 (toll), with access code 6393927.
The Road Back to Life is a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring to dialysis patients, patient support groups, and award-winning CKD classes. They offer patient support groups in Lynnwood WA on October 23, November 27, and December 25, 2018, and in both Monroe and Mountlake Terrace WA on November 13 and December 11. They also provide November 8, December 6, and December 13, 2018 courses on HOPE (or Healthy Options) in Mountlake Terrace, and a six-part course November 7-December 19 on Survive and Thrive with CKD in Lynnwood WA. For details see https://www.kidneysupportgroup.com/calendar/. For more information on The Road Back to Life see https://www.kidneysupportgroup.com/.
DPC’s next Educational Call is an October 22, 2018 webinar called Laugh Will and Testament: Using Humor to Contemplate Mortality and Enjoy Life. See the poster below and http://www.dpcedcenter.org/education-seminars for details. RSVP at http://www.dpcedcenter.org/education-call-rsvp to get a reminder.
The DPC Education Center is a treasure trove of information on kidney disease; find it at http://www.dpcedcenter.org/. Mark your calendar for future Educational Calls on November 15 and December 13, and 2019 Calls on January 24, February 28, March 28, April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, August 22, September 26, October 24, November 28, and December 26.
