Category Archives: Patients & Family

8/15 Free NIDDK Brochures

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The NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is depleting their stock of hard copy publications on diabetes, digestive diseases, nutrition, and kidney disease, in English and Spanish.  Up to 25 copies of most titles are available to order free of charge if shipped to addresses within the United States, until August 15, 2017.  See NIDDK’s Online Catalog at https://catalog.niddk.nih.gov/Catalog/ .

7/16+ UKEEP PKD Education

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The UCLA Kidney Education Enhancement Program (UKEEP) will present three free patient education programs this summer on:

  • Polycystic Kidney Disease – July 16, 2017
  • Kidney Transplant – August 13, 2017
  • Dialysis – September 17, 2017

RSVP is requested.  For details see https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/N/UKEEP/UKEEP789.17.pdf .

7/13 IHI Self-Care Audio

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IHI will sponsor a free July 13, 2017 audio presentation on “Greater Satisfaction, Outcomes, and Savings with Self-Administered Care,” reporting on recent improvements in outcomes when patients are trained to do their own dialysis or other health care.  Find full details and register at http://www.ihi.org/education/AudioVideo/WIHI/greater-satisfaction-outcomes-and-savings-with-self-administered-care/Pages/default.aspx/ .

SC Heat Wave 7/6-8+

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Temperatures are expected to be well over 110°F in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys, and well over 100°F in the San Joaquin Valley, Antelope Valley, the southern foothills of the Transverse Ranges from Santa Barbara to Riverside, and the I-15 corridor into San Diego County.  While the hottest temperatures are expected to be Friday and Saturday, the heat will continue into next week.

Networks are required by CMS to track the status of facility operations and patient access to treatment during emergency events.  If the operations of your facility, or ability for patients to have access to dialysis are impacted by emergency events, please let your Network know right away.

In Southern and South-Central California (Network 18), contact Eileen Rhodes or Julie Aguilar at 888-268-1539 or by email at ERhodes@nw18.esrd.net or JAguilar@nw18.esrd.net , and fill out the form at http://www.esrdnetwork18.org/machform/embed.php?id=16298 .

Patients and facility staff may find these resources useful:

Job Retention

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AAKP and MEI have released their report on KidneyWorks: A Job Retention Program for People with CKD.  Recommendations for providers include:

  • Offer appointment times that accommodate patients’ work schedules
  • Talk with patients and families about the benefits of working and avoiding disability when possible
  • Remember that patients who can keep their jobs are more likely to retain employer group health plans that will bring in more revenue to a practice or clinic than Medicare or Medicaid
  • Consider the societal benefits of a healthier population with fewer hospitalizations, less anxiety and depression, and a more active lifestyle

You can download an Executive Summary or the full report from http://www.kidneyworks.org/kidneyworks-white-paper/ .