CMS Data Validation for CY2022 Data

CMS has announced details of their Data Validation Program for 2022 EQRS CPM and NHSN PBC Data. Last year’s details can be found at https://mycrownweb.org/2021/10/cy-2021-esrd-qip-data-validity-and-reliability-study-explanation-of-study/. For this year’s Program, the relevant dates are October 2022 for NHSN patient lists, November 2022-January 2023 for NHSN medical records, and February 2023 for EQRS medical records. Other details appear to remain the same as last year. The Data Validation Program in general is described at https://qualitynet.cms.gov/esrd/data-validation.

9/28+ CMS NTP Open Enrollment Bootcamp

The CMS National Training Program has announced webinar topics and registation details for their September 28-29, 2022 Open Enrollment Period Bootcamp, which will be held from 10am to noon PDT each day. The Bootcamp introduces Medicare Program updates and resources and is intended for those who help Medicare recipients make informed decisions about their 2023 health care coverage.

September 28: Medicare Plan Finder basics, updates, and user tips, information about The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, including details about new costs for insulin and vaccines in 2023, and Q&A. Registration at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=227.

September 29: Medicare OEP overview, general program and cost updates, OEP Media outreach campaigns, Call Center overview and activities, vaccination campaigns, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) overview and OEP resources, and fraud awareness and prevention. Registration at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=228.

9/19+ Fungal Disease Awareness Week

September 19-23, 2022 is Fungal Disease Awareness Week. CDC has published a list of ten questions that discuss the circumstances and symptoms of common fungal infections, titled Fungal Infections: Protect Your Health, also available in Spanish. For full details on Fungal Disease Awareness Week see https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/awareness-week.html.

9/17+ Patient Safety Day, Conference

The theme of the UN World Health Organization’s September 17, 2022 World Patient Day this year is Medication Safety. Find details at https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/09/17/default-calendar/world-patient-safety-day-2022. Closer to home, the Oregon Patient Safety Commission is also highly involved – see https://oregonpatientsafety.org/tools-and-best-practices/world-patient-safety-day-2022-medication-safety for information on their program.

OPSC is also collaborating with the Foundation for Healthcare Quality, the Washington Patient Safety Coalition and the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council to present the 19th Annual Northwest Patient Safety Conference on “Advancing Patient Safety in Today’s World,” online October 18-19, 2022. For information and registration see https://www.qualityhealth.org/wpsc/wpsc-events/patient-safety-conference/.

9/15+ WA CoN Listening Sessions

The Washington State Department of Health will hold Listening Sessions to collect information about any changes that stakeholders want to Certificate of Need rules, to be held on September 15, October 12, and November 7, 2022, and January 10, 2023. For more information, click on “Kidney Dialysis Need Forecasting Methodology and Standards” at https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/facilities-z/certificate-need/rule-making-activities. Register for the September 15 session at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PoX97gk4Rr-aRphWgWzEtg. Links to future sessions will be posted at the doh website above.

9/10+ September Events

September 2022: Sepsis Awareness Month, https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/education/index.html.

Before September 10, 2022: Donate Life Northwest seeks volunteers to implement a donor registration table at the Vancouver WA Peace and Justice Fair, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9699&id=9699.

Before September 18, 2022: Donate Life Northwest seeks volunteers to implement a table at the Portland OR Strut Your Kidney Fundraiser (q.v. below), https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9734&id=9734.

September 14, 2022: Donate Life Northwest New Ambassador Orientation 101, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9738&id=9738.

September 15, 2022

• HDU Dialysis at Home Update, all-day information webinar, https://www.homedialyzorsunited.org/so/2bOAsh0cc.
• WA CofN Listening Session re CofN change suggestions, time and station TBD.

September 18, 2022: Northwest Kidney Kids Strut Your Kidney Fundraiser, Portland OR (see below), https://runsignup.com/Race/OR/Portland/StrutYourKidney.

September 21-23, 2022

• September 21-23, 2022: AAKP National Patient Meeting, https://aakp.org/programs-and-events/national-patient-meeting/.
• September 22, 2022: My Employment Options Online Career Fair, https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?e=bdda8ac578&u=56f5d223477df4f391004fb34&id=3ab356d4ae.

September 24, 2022: Donate Life Northwest School Educator Training 301, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9736&id=9736.

September 28, 2022: CMS NTP on Medicare Open Enrollment Period Bootcamp, Part 1, https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/.

September 29, 2022

• CMS NTP on Medicare Open Enrollment Period Bootcamp, Part 2, https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/.
• Center for Patient Safety workshop on Caring for Our Own, Part 1, https://4632409.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4632409/Caring%20for%20Our%20Own/Caring%20for%20Our%20Own%20Flyer.pdf.

October 6, 2022: Center for Patient Safety workshop on Caring for Our Own, Part 2, https://4632409.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4632409/Caring%20for%20Our%20Own/Caring%20for%20Our%20Own%20Flyer.pdf.

October 20, 2022: Donate Life Northwest School Educator Training 301, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9737&id=9737.

9/8+ EQRS Town Hall, New User Training, Newsletter

EQRS will hold a September 8, 2022 Town Hall webinar featuring EQRS Data Submission Deadlines, New EQRS Features including Vaccination Module, Admission in Support of Transplant feature, Parathyroid Hormone Reporting Fields, and EQRS FAQs. Register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/september-2022-town-hall-2/.

The September EQRS New User Training will be held on September 20, 2022. For more information and registration see https://mycrownweb.org/2022/09/nut-september-2022-announce/.

The September issue of the EQRS Quarterly Newsletter is also available, at https://mycrownweb.org/2022/09/september-2022-newsletter/. It includes notes on the CY2023 ESRD QIP, and all of the usual news on EQRS operations.

9/2+ CMS Email Down

CMS email is transitioning from HHS to CMS itself over the holiday weekend, and the process will take several days. All CMS email accounts will close down late on Friday September 2, 2022, until early on Tuesday, September 6. Any email sent to CMS accounts will receive a notice saying that the address does not exist. Please hold all emails for CMS until Tuesday. There is a notice but no details at https://www.medicaid.gov/.