Serving Delaware and Pennsylvania
 
A Bi-Weekly Newsletter for Quality Insights Renal Network 4
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In This Issue
Joint Commission Issues Update on SSA Texting Orders


alerts & recalls


Quick links


Welcome to the May 16 issue of the Quality Insights Renal Network 4 e-newsletter. In this issue, we bring you information about joint Commission updates, exploratory surgeries, NHSN training, patient education features, ESRD events, resources and much more. We encourage you to  contact us with any questions, concerns or suggestions.  
FeedbackPlease provide us with your feedback on last month's Facility-LED PATIENT EDUCATION
Please take this short survey to let us know what you thought about last month's facility-led patient education topics
FeaturedEducation2FACILITY-LED PATIENT EDUCATION TOPIC OF THE MONTH: 
Dialysis Facility Compare
We will be providing a Network 4 Patient Education Sheet each month in 2017. These documents are also located on our website. Please provide all of your patients with this education sheet this month.   Also, we ask that you please encourage your facility's Patient  Representatives to pass out this educational information as well. 
TownHallPartners in research town hall to be held next month 
The next Town Hall session will be held on May 24 at 5:00 p.m. at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE. If you cannot make it in person, you can join online. This Town Hall will focus on the topics of c onfidentiality and safety of data. Several of these topics will be discussed in the context of  research questions raised at the Partners in Research 2016 Conference. Drinks and snacks will be available.  Learn more and register
SSATextingJoint Commission Issues Update on SSA Texting Orders 
On December 22, 2016, the Joint Commission (JC) issued a clarification reversing its position on the texting of medical orders. This is contrary to its May 2016 position where it approved the use of secure platforms for texting, as long as specific criteria were met. In collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the JC has made several new recommendations:
  • All healthcare organizations should have policies prohibiting the use of unsecured text messaging - that is, short message service (SMS) text messaging from a personal mobile device - for communicating protected health information.
  • The JC and CMS agree that computerized provider order entry (CPOE) should be the preferred method for submitting orders as it allows providers to directly enter orders into the electronic health record (EHR).
  • In the event that a CPOE or written order cannot be submitted, a verbal order is acceptable. 
  • The use of secure text orders is not permitted at this time.

The JC and CMS will continue to monitor advancements in technology to determine whether text messaging systems will be a viable option in the future. Read the JC's clarification of its position.

HepCStorysurgeons explore Strategy to transplant kidneys infected with hepatitis c 
A story was recently published about a transplant of kidneys infected with hepatitis C into uninfected patients with an attempt to then cure the virus. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University, the strategy was successful. Read the story
NHSNTrainingCourseNHSN training course now available on dialysis event homepage
The Dialysis Event training course is now available on the Dialysis Event homepage. Every National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) user must complete re-training annually by taking the online training course and re-reading the Dialysis Event Protocol. Before completing the course post-test, please follow these instructions to enter your contact information into the designated fields:
  1. The first name, last name, and the email address of the person completing the course. The email address entered must be the email address associated with the person's SAMS account. NHSN users can identify the email associated with their SAMS account by:
    • Logging in to https://sams.cdc.gov 
    • Clicking "NHSN Reporting" and logging in to your facility 
    • Clicking on the username in top-right corner; and 
    • Viewing the email address under "My Info"
  2. The facility's 5-digit NHSN OrgID. This can be found by: 
    • Logging in to https://sams.cdc.gov  
    • Clicking "NHSN Reporting" and logging in to your facility 
    • Clicking on the username in the top-right corner; and 
    • Viewing the 5-digit ID
  3. The facility's ESRD Network number. The ESRD Network in which your facility resides can be found by clicking the map on this website.
CROWNWebTrainingRegister for CROWNWeb Facility Dashboard Training
CROWNWeb logo The first of four Facility Dashboard Training sessions will take place on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 2 p.m. EDT. Each of these informative 30-minute courses cover all the basic information a CROWNWeb user would need to begin using the Facility Dashboard.  During these events, the CROWNWeb Outreach, Communications, and Training (OCT) team will inform users on the functions, navigation and completion of tasks within the Facility Dashboard. Learn more and register
 

SummerCamps3CAn't wait for Summer? Take a Look at Upcoming ESRD Camps
Philadelphia Area
Central and Western Pennsylvania
FreeCEUsFREE CEU OPPORTUNITIES  
American Kidney Fund: 
The American Kidney Fund is offering a new online continuing education (CE) course titled  Managing Hyperphosphatemia. The course is free and offers 1.00 CDR CE credit and 1.20 NANT CE credits.  The goals of the course are to identify and understand challenges dietitians and other allied health professionals face in managing hyperphosphatemia in their patients and identify effective tools and strategies they can employ in their own practice. Learn more.  

Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety:
NTDS is offering a webinar series to learn how to stop and prevent the spread of deadline infectious diseases. The webinar, titled "Targeting Zero Infections: Where Do We Begin?" will be on Tuesday, May 23 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. EDT.  Learn more

Network staff members L to R: Kou Kha-Moua, Chris Brown and Tricia Phulchand
Network Staff Members Attend Day of Learning at Vascular Center: Opportunity for Contact Hours
Staff from ESRD Networks 3 and 4 recently attended a day of learning at a vascular access center as part of the Adventures in Access program. This new education program can give an inside look at the day-to-day operations of your local access center and help you earn free contact hours at the same time. You will visit a Lifeline Vascular Access managed center, learn how to spot access problems, review radiographic images, observe a live interventional procedure, and shadow a nurse during both pre- and post-procedure assessments. For more information, contact MaryBeth Lawson at marybeth.lawson@davita.com or call (215) 887-1122.  
ESRDResourcesESRD resources 

Article Addresses Patient Engagement in Healthcare
A recent edition of ASN Kidney News featured an interview with Kevin Fowler, recipient of a preemptive kidney transplant in 2004 and ASN President Eleanor D. Lederer, MD, FASN, talking about patient engagement in healthcare.
Fluid Overload Linked to Premature Death in Patients on Hemodialysis
In an analysis of information from a large international dialysis network, chronic fluid overload was linked with an increased risk of early death that was comparable to that of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure. Cumulative fluid overload over 1 year predicted a higher risk of death than a single measurement of fluid overload obtained at the start of regular dialysis treatment. The JASN analysis was based on >200,000 measurements of fluid status in 39,566 patients initiating hemodialysis in 26 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. 
Looking for a Patient Support Group?
Sometimes it's helpful to talk about your journey to kidney health with peers that understand what you're going through. Check out our website periodically for information about local support groups near you, including upcoming meeting dates as they become available. 
Check out the ESRD NCC Information Exchange
The ESRD Network Coordinating Center (NCC) provides centralized coordination and support for the Medicare ESRD Network program. Each month, the ESRD NCC distributes an e-newsletter, known as the Information Exchange, that compiles the most important information from numerous ListServs and publications related to renal health. To sign up to receive this informative newsletter, please contact the ESRD NCC at ncc@ncc.esrd.net or visit the ESRD NCC website

 
Executive Director
Quality Improvement Director
Quality Improvement Coordinator
Quality Improvement Coordinator
Patient Services Coordinator
Data Manager
Administrative Assistant
 
 
610 Freedom Business Center,  
Suite 102 
King of Prussia, PA 19406 
(610) 265-2418 
(800) 548-9205 (patients only) 
(610) 783-0374 (fax) 
IMPORTANT NOTE:
This bi-weekly e-newsletter will serve as our primary method of communicating important news and updates. We encourage you to visit our Web site for the most up-to-date information or to contact us with questions, comments or suggestions.
 
This material was prepared by Quality Insights Renal Network 4 under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The contents do not necessarily reflect CMS policy.

Publication No. ESRD4-050517