More January+ Events

AKF Poster on Barriers to Treatment Adherence: The Infographic at the end of this bulletin summarizes the results of an American Kidney Fund survey of dialysis patients and renal professionals, on the common challenges that patients face in following their treatment recommendations.

CMS Care-Compare website for Comparing Dialysis Facilities has received its January quarterly update, including the latest Facility Performance Scores. Find it at https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?providerType=DialysisFacility.

January 15-February 15, 2024: NWRD 2024 Conference Registration – the Conference is March 7-8 in Portland OR, with the theme Dietitians Bridging the Equality Gap through Advocacy with emphasis on Latin American culture and cuisine. Find full details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview. 

January 31, 2024: CMS/HRSA Organ Transplantation Affinity Group Webinar on Strengthening Transplant Accountability, Equity, and Performance. For details and registration see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/01/organ-transplantation-affinity-group-otag-webinar-on-january-31-2024-at-2pm/.

February 8, 2024: Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation Webinar on Donation and Transportation. Find details and register at https://amat.member365.com/public/event/details/27d76c61afdace71ce3a8cdd49b2d62f6ef0bad2/1.

February 14, 2024: National Donor Day for organ, eye and tissue donation. For Donation-related Valentines to send and/or other donation-related educational materials, in English or Spanish, see https://donatelife.net/how-you-can-help/national-observances-celebrations/national-donor-day/. For Network events and programs, see https://www.donatelifenw.org/.

8/25+ August and September Events

• August 25, 2023: Comments Due on KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for AKI and AKD Scope of Work, https://kdigo.org/guidelines/acute-kidney-injury/.

• September 1, 2023: UCLA CORE Kidney Monthly Chat on Healthy Coping Strategies. Find more information from the poster below and RSVP at https://uclahs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GxLIlyDwSmmDssQCvBL0Xw#/registration.

• September Is Sepsis Awareness Month: For information see https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html and this poster:

• CDC has also recently published Multi-Dose Vial Safety Reminders for National Immunization Awareness Month, which is August. Find the scoop at https://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/multi-dose-vial-safety-reminders/ and from this poster:

• September 6, 2023: My Employment Options webinar on Job Application Tips. Find more information and register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iSie1VvPQlqfnArLAsOcMA#/registration.

• September 14, 2023: HDU and AKF 2nd annual Dialysis at Home Virtual Event. Find more information and register at https://hopin.com/events/dialysis-at-home-2023/registration.

• September 20-22, 2023: AAKP 48th Annual National Patient Meeting. Learn more from the poster below and at https://aakp.org/programs-and-events/national-patient-meeting/, and register at https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E16588&id=60.

More January+ News and Events

• Respiratory Viruses. This is a bad season for respiratory viruses. With COVID-19, RSV and influenza circulating, many people are finding themselves under the weather. This surge of respiratory viruses has put immunocompromised patients such as those with ESRD at higher risk of hospitalization. This increase in hospitalizations has been straining our health care system and hospitals are struggling to care for patients with the added burden of persistent staffing shortages. This Oregon Health News article explains more about these viruses and how to keep yourself safe. https://covidblog.oregon.gov/why-are-so-many-people-sick-this-winter/.
• Home Dialysis Central has new post on whether your doctor addresses their own concerns, or yours. Find it at https://homedialysis.org/news-and-research/blog/525-tune-into-me-please.
• New EQRS Electronic Data System API link on EQRS menus. For details see https://mycrownweb.org/2023/01/eqrs-news-flash-self-service-onboarding/.
• Register for the March 2-3, 2023 NWRD Annual Conference. Find full details and Register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. Register for the live in-person version in Olympia WA by February 15, and/or for the recordings by March 1.
• January 24-25, 2023: Understanding Medicare webinars from the Medicare National Training Program. Find Details at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/?q=ntp-courses. Take either or both:
  • January 24, 2023: Medicare NTP Understanding Medicare Day 1 webinar, covering enrollment and eligibility; SSA and CMS roles and responsibilities; cost and coverage under Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance); why enrolling on time is important; and an overview of Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies. Register at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=241.
  • January 25, 2023: Medicare NTP Understanding Medicare Day 2 webinar, including drug coverage (Part D); Advantage Plans; coordination of benefits; how to detect and report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse; and different resources to help you find answers to policy and coverage questions. Register at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=242.
• January 25, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on Building Resilience: Strategies for Managing Mental Health and Kidney Disease. Designed for all kidney patients across the CKD spectrum: early-stage patients, dialysis patients, and transplant recipients. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHL_BuildingResilience.
• January 27, 2023: PFCC Community of Practice Town Hall on The Funfetti Approach for Patient Family Engagement. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvd-uopjwsGd2coTYuKtu9S_NzfHas6jS6.
• January 31, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on A Treatment Specifically Designed for IgA Nephropathy, an AAKP HealthLine Innovator Webinar sponsored by Calliditas Therapeutics. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHealthLine_IgATreatmentCalliditas.
• February 6, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials: The FIND-CKD Study, Sponsored by Bayer. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHealthLine_DiversityInTrials.
• February 15, 2023: Registration and Reserved Lodging Deadline for the Live In-Person NWRD Annual Conference, March 2-3. Find details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/.
• March 1, 2023: Registration Deadline for Recordings of the NWRD Annual Conference, March 2-3. Find details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. The In-Person Live Conference and the Recordings require separate registrations. Select one or the other or both.
• March 2-3, 2023: NWRD Annual Conference with an emphasis on the cuisine and culture of India. There will be no online version this year, but instead the Conference will be live and in-person in Olympia WA, with a separate option to buy the recordings of it. Find full details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. Registration deadlines are February 15 for the live version and reserved lodging, and March 1 for the recordings.
• March 12-18, 2023: Patient Safety Awareness Week. Find information and materials at https://forward.centerforpatientsafety.org/patient-safety-awareness-week-psaw.

5/18 NKF/CareDx Webinar on Transplant and Mental Health

NKF and CareDx will present a May 18, 2022 webinar for everyone in the transplant community on Mental Health Matters. Find details and register at https://go.caredx.com/webinar/mental-health-matters/. If the time is inconvenient for you, register anyway and the sponsors will send you a recording after the webinar.

Mental Health Bulletin Board

Social workers have shared with the Network that some dialysis patients are reluctant to disclose or discuss their depression or other mental health concerns. One way to address this is to provide psychological education via a mental health-themed bulletin board. The following downloadable patient-focused materials have been reviewed and recommended by ESRD Network 16 advisors as good candidates for a facility Mental Health Bulletin Board:

• Alliant Health Solutions:
  • Zone Tool: Self-Management for Depression, https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/alliant-zone-tool-depression-508.pdf.
  • Relax, Refresh… Reset (English), https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/alliant-relax-refresh-reset-flyer.pdf.
  • Relájate, Refresca, ¡Restablecimiento! (Spanish), https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/alliant-relax-refresh-reset-flyer-spanish.pdf.

• National Forum of ESRD Networks, Dialysis Patient Depression Toolkit in English and Spanish, https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/natl-forum-esrd-networks-depression-toolkit.pdf.

• Comagine Health ESRD Network 16, Warmline Directory for the Pacific Northwest States, https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/comagine-esrd-warmline.pdf.

• National Institute for Mental Health, My Mental Health: Do I Need Help? – https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/nih-my-mental-health-508.pdf.

• Anxiety & Depression Association of America, How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety, https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/P/adaa-stress-anxiety-tips.pdf.

2/1+ UCLA on Staying Healthy in 2022

The theme for the 2021-22 Virtual UCLA CORE Kidney Monthly Chat is Staying Healthy in 2022!!! These free global interactive webinars focusing on COVID, mental and physical health, and diet will be held on February 1, March 1, April 1, May 1, and June 1, 2022. For more information and registration see https://uclahs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GxLIlyDwSmmDssQCvBL0Xw.

3/4+ UKEEP Webinars on Kidney Disease & Empowerment

The UCLA CORE Kidney Program will present a March 4, 2021 UKEEP webinar on Kidney Disease: What You Should Know. For details and registration, see the poster below, or https://uclahs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hjcPosQgSieUDGL3CIzAqw. They will also present a March 21, 2021 Virtual Kidney Conference on Educating, Empowering, and Inspiring Hope. Find more information about the Conference, and register, at https://uclahs.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZgPWycdXR_OXq26FbQZp4A.

2/21 NKF Education Symposium

NKF will host a free February 21, 2021 online Patient & Community Education Seminar at noon PST. The two-and-a-half-hour Zoom program will cover mental health and CKD, home dialysis, gout, transplant, living donation, and Healthy Kidneys-Healthy You. Registration is required, at https://kidney.org/co-kidney-ed-symposium. For questions, contact Danielle Percival at 720.748.9991 ext 453 or danielle.percival@kidney.org. Find details below:

1/5 NCC COVID Mental Health Webinar

The ESRD National Coordinating Center will present a January 5, 2021 webinar on Living in a COVID-19 Environment: Mental Health Support for Kidney Patients & Caregivers. Find more informaton below and at https://esrdncc.org/en/covid-19/covid-webinars/, and Register HERE.

12/16 SSA Work Incentive Webinar

The Social Security Adminstration will present a December 16, 2020 WISE (Work Incentive Seminar Event) webinar on Ticket to Work and Mental Health. The webinar will include SSA’s Ticket to Work Program, Ticket Program service providers, managing a job search, battling the winter blues, and how working will impact your SSDI income. WISE webinars are usually held every fourth Wednesday; stay informed about them at https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise. Find out more about the SSA Ticket to Work program and other SSA job search aids at https://choosework.ssa.gov/blog/2020-12-02-start-job-search-at-december-career-fair. Find details and register for the December 16 event at https://choosework.ssa.gov/wise/eventdetails.