April Events

April 16, 2024 – EQRS New User Training. Find details and registraton at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/april-2024-new-user-training/.

April 25, 2024 – Webinar on De-Escalation & Communication in a Behavioral Health Setting presented by the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Seattle, and the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Network (MHTTC Network), online. Designed for direct service providers and staff who work with clients and community members. Learn what contributes to emotionally escalated interactions, ways to assess the situation, and practical strategies to defuse and de-escalate to support the health and safety of everyone involved. Find details and register at https://mhttcnetwork.org/event/de-escalation-communication-in-a-behavioral-health-setting/. Find more NAMI Seattle events at https://namiseattle.org/events/upcoming-events/ (scroll down for the complete calendar), and more MHTTC Network events at https://mhttcnetwork.org/training-and-events-calendar/.

KDIGO has released an extensive list of resources to accompany their new CKD Guideline, including seven “Top Ten Takeaways” resources for nephrologists, pediatricians, and PCPs; an Executive Summary; and a Data Supplement. Find these resources, and a link to the KDIGO 2024 CKD Guideline itself, at https://kdigo.org/guidelines/ckd-evaluation-and-management/.

CMS has released a final rule that will protect and improve access to Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP. The Streamlining the Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes rule will remove red tape and barriers to enrollment, update and build on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) coverage protections. Find more information at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-rule-expanding-access-care-and-increasing-protections-people.

Yet More March-April Events

March 27, 2024: Medicaid/CHIPS Renewal Webinar on Recently Released Guidance and Resources for Partners. Note date revised from March 20, 2024. If your organization serves or interfaces with people that have health insurance through Medicaid or CHIP then this call is for YOU. Register at https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_qma5AvyBQWCTB0vbNF3lTA. Send questions to PARTNERSHIP@cms.hhs.gov.

April 4, 2024: My Employment Options Webinar on Resumes that Get You Hired. Find details and registration at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wGjhcVlxQpaH35d3ODLnaA#/registration.

April is National Donate Life Month, including Living Donor Day April 3, Blue and Green Spirit Week April 6-12, Blue and Green Day April 12, Donor Appreciation Week April 8-12, Volunteer Appreciation Week April 15-19, Pediatric Transplant Week April 21-27, and Transplant Professionals Day April 24. Find more information, daily events, and Celebration/Promotion materials at https://www.donatelifenw.org/national-donate-life-month.

KDIGO has announced the publication of its 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for CKD. Find more information and download from https://www.kidney-international.org/article/S0085-2538(23)00766-4/fulltext.

EQRS has announced modification of the Dialysis Facility Transplant Waitlist Dashboard to include a new column for Inactive Reason for temporarily inactive transplant candidates. For details see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/03/dialysis-facility-transplant-waitlist-dashboard-update-new-inactive-reason-column-added/.

7/18+ More July+ Events and Announcements

• July 18, 2023: EQRS New User Training, online; find more information and register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/july-2023-new-user-training/.

• July 24, 2023: Comments due on KDIGO 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Management of CKD; find the Guideline and submit comments at https://kdigo.org/guidelines/ckd-evaluation-and-management/.

• July 26, 2023: Livestreamed Bi-Annual Meeting of CNSW PNW Chapter, with CE Credits; find information and register at https://cme.kidney.org/spa/courses/resource/pacific-northwest-chapter-of-the-council-of-nephrology-social-workers/mooc/home/default.

• August 4, 2023: Comments due on KDIGO Controversies on CKD Mineral and Bone Disorder Scope; https://kdigo.org/conferences/controversies-conference-on-personalizing-ckd-mbd-care/.

• 2023 CDC HAN Health Advisories:
  • Wildfire Smoke Exposure, https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/pdf/CDC_HAN_495.pdf.
  • Measles Summer 2023, https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2023/pdf/CDC_HAN_493.pdf.

• ESRD QIP SHR, SRR and STrR Measure Updates are described in the June 2023 EQRS Quarterly Newsletter; see https://mycrownweb.org/2023/06/june-2023-newsletter/.

3/9 World Kidney Day and Nat’l Kidney Month

March is National Kidney Month, and March 9, 2023 is World Kidney Day.

MEI will present two March 9 webinars, one for Patients and one for Dialysis Staff:

• For Patients: How to work well with your dialysis care team, on how to work better with staff, have less conflict, avoid Involuntary Discharge, and get the best care. Find more information and register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4RJjl3xOTpWJce61k_F0pQ.
• For Dialysis Staff: Reframing Difficult Patient Behaviors, on helping dialysis professionals reframe challenging patient behaviors, work more collaboratively with those experiencing kidney failure, and avoid Involuntary Discharge. See https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EIJtFq3MSceXL7Xcc-Brig for more information and registration.

Find more information about:

• MEI’s monumental work on Kidney Disease at https://mei.org/.
• The World Kidney Day 2023 program at https://www.worldkidneyday.org/2023-campaign/.
• The NIH National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease campaign at https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-health-outreach/national-kidney-month.
• The 2023 NKF poster at https://www.kidney.org/content/national-kidney-month.
• ANNA covers both National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day, including a tookit, at https://www.annanurse.org/article/world-kidney-day.
• The World Kidney Day website at https://worldkidneyday.org/.

11/15 Comagine Webinar on CKD & Diabetes

Comagine Health will present a 30-minute November 15, 2022 webinar on Chronic Kidney Disease & Diabetes: Current Guidelines, Best Practices, and Opportunities in Improving Care, focusing on the updated ADA guidelines and treatment landscape of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the importance of screening/testing type 2 diabetic patients for kidney disease. Comagine Health plans to offer CME credits. Find full details and registration at https://comaginehealth.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpcOGrqjMqG9AzTbtiykx4U_2sfl2q_zya.

February-March Webinars and Notices

• Forum Be A Superhero poster promoting Vaccine and Boosters for Facilities and Others. In English and Spanish. Illustrated below. Download from https://esrdnetworks.org/resources-news/covid-19-information-resources/resources-for-kidney-patients/.

• January 1-March 31, 2022 for Patients: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period for switching or leaving MA plans, https://www.medicareadvantage.com/medicare-enrollment.

• February 2022 for Facility Staff: FMC Global Medical Office Courses for February. Find details and register at https://custom.cvent.com/0C5715850B334257947E1386198E9836/files/37d0e152f82941f586ac8681b659e0e2.pdf.

• February 15, 2022 for Facility Staff: EQRS New User Training. Find details and register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/february-2022-new-user-training/.

• February 17, 2022 for Patients: Employment Options Webinar on Resumes That Get You Hired! Find details and register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GgxyXP7hQbiTg5zb4opx1g?utm_medium=Link&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_campaign=NewsWebinarFeb2022GM.

• February 25, 2022 for Clinicians: Feedback due on Revision of KDIGO Hepatitis C in CKD Guidelines. Find details and comment form at https://kdigo.org/guidelines/hepatitis-c-in-ckd/.

• March 1, 2022 for Facility Staff: Registration Opens for 2022 International Conference on Dialysis to be held September 20-23, in person and online, by the Renal Research Institute. Find details and register at https://web.cvent.com/event/b94b5aee-2ef3-4206-b769-8ea5796e6c6b/summary.

• March 3-4, 2022 for Renal Dietitians: NWRD Annual Conference, online. Find details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview.

• March 4, 2022 for Providers: Feedback due on Proposed CMS CY2023 Rates: CMS has published Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies for CY2023. CMS will accept comments on this through March 4, 2022, and and plans to publish the final Rate Announcement by April 4, 2022. Find the Fact Sheet at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2023-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-advance-notice-fact-sheet.

• March 11, 2022 for Clinicians: Feedback Due on Revision of KDIGO CKD Evaluation and Management Guidelines. Find details and comment form at https://kdigo.org/guidelines/ckd-evaluation-and-management/.

• March 13-19, 2022 for Everyone: Patient Safety Awareness Week. For details and to download a toolkit, see https://forward.centerforpatientsafety.org/patient-safety-awareness-week-psaw.

• March 31, 2022 for Patients: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period ends for switching or leaving MA plans, https://www.medicareadvantage.com/medicare-enrollment.

2/1 CMS Request for ESRD Treatment Feedback

CMS is soliciting feedback from ESRD stakeholders on anything and everything they would like to see improved about ESRD treatment. Submit your comments by February 1, 2022 at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CMS-2021-0184-0001, choosing “End Stage Renal Disease Facilities – HPA20” as your response to the “What is your comment about?” question.

Find the CMS Request for Information at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/03/2021-26146/request-for-information-health-and-safety-requirements-for-transplant-programs-organ-procurement. The full title of the Request includes not just transplant programs and OPOs, but “and End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities.” This Request page includes specific questions about transplant programs and their Conditions of Participation (“COPS”), patient rights, organ donations, tissue transplants, general kidney health, home dialysis, alternative types and settings for dialysis, alternative models of care, processes and policies for organs and donors, and nephrology joint ventures, including whether a nephrologist’s partial ownership of a dialysis facility should be disclosed to patients, and whether that ownership has “an impact on resource use, patient care, and/or choice of modality.”

11/10+ November Events

• November 10, 2021:
  • Donate Life 301 School Educator Training; information and registration at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9546&id=9546.
  • AAKP HealthLine webinar on Planning a Safe Holiday Season; https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ML9QNHZ.
• November 11, 2021: AAKP HealthLine webinar on Xenotransplantation; https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHealthLineXenotransplantation.
• November 12, 2021: KDIGO on Slowing Decline in Kidney Function; https://www.clinicalserieslive.com/app/signup/111221_CSL_CME_Glom_Reg/formPage/.
• November 12-14, 2021: Donate Life National Donor Sabbath; https://www.donatelifenw.org/forms/national-donor-sabbath-materials.
• November 13, 2021: Donate Life Lifesavers Breakfast; https://www.donatelifenw.org/content/lifesavers-campaign.
• November 16, 2021: EQRS New User Training; https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/november-2021-new-user-training/.
• November 18, 2021:
  • EQRS Town Hall on PY2022 QIP Preview Period and Reporting Requirements; https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/november-2021-town-hall/.
  • AAKP HealthLine webinar on genetic testing; https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6141365496566087952.

3/11 World Kidney Day

March is National Kidney Month, and March 11, 2021 is World Kidney Day. The theme for this year’s World Kidney Day is Living Well with Kidney Disease, aimed toward increasing education and awareness about effective symptom management and patient empowerment, with the ultimate goal of encouraging life participation. Find our more at https://www.worldkidneyday.org/2021-campaign/. This year’s National Kidney Month is focused around taking charge of your health and the many factors that go into managing your kidney disease. Find out more about National Kidney Month at https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-health-outreach/national-kidney-month.

3/11 NTP Medicare Webinar

The CMS National Training Program’s March 11, 2021 webinar will include a presentation on Medicare for people with ESRD, March updates on Medicare, and National Kidney Month. Register at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/login/index.php.