As part of the Medicare Conditions for Coverage, dialysis providers are expected to collaborate with ESRD Networks on specific objectives each year to improve quality of life and outcomes for dialysis patients in their care. Qsource ESRD Networks have created the following Roadmap Assessments that facilities can use to assess their needs in a particular area and begin working toward improvements. Take your assessment today and book Technical Assistance with one of our QI Advisors for an individualized action plan, current data reports, and resources at no cost to you!
This change package from the ESRD National Coordinating Center is intended to support dialysis facilities and End State Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks in improving health equity for patients receiving dialysis. The document includes actionable change ideas, collected from dialysis facilities that performed above the national average for patients in a home program and/or on a transplant waitlist, despite their patients’ residing in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods and having complex health-related social needs. The change ideas are intended as a menu of interventions from which leaders can choose to implement within their facilities.
From the Patient Services Team
Please join us for this important discussion!
Addressing Racism and Implicit Bias in Dialysis Facilities
Part 1
Acknowledging and Addressing Stigma and Implicit Bias
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) ensure that the services you and your organization provide are respectful and responsive to each patient’s culture and communication needs. Begin your CLAS journey by taking our CLAS Assessment and a member of our team will reach out to you with targeted resources to supplement your efforts. There are several levels of assistance available, from one-time targeted assistance to an eight-week CLAS Sprint to work on implementation of your own personalized CLAS Action Plan. Take the FREE Assessment today!
The Service Ticket is our new way to increase a quick response to your questions on ESRD Quality Reporting System (EQRS) patient registry, QIP, Dialysis Data Master Account Holder, and more. Here are some of the benefits of using the Service Ticket:
No more phone calls or voicemail messages because of phone tag while you are focused on patient care.
You should not send PHI via email as most of you don’t have secure email systems.
The new Ticket system can take PHI and will streamline and quicken our responses to you.
Add as much detail to the “details” section as needed to properly explain the issue you are having. This will hopefully prevent us having to contact you for more information and possibly delay the resolution.
Facility Commitment to Health Equity Dashboard Available in EQRS
On July 18, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Health Equity Attestation Dashboard in the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Reporting System (EQRS). This new dashboard provides ESRD Networks and dialysis organizations with real-time information and visualization on attestations submitted throughout the calendar year for the ESRD Facility Commitment to Health Equity (FCHE) reporting measure. This measure will be added to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) beginning in payment year (PY) 2026. Corporate level and Network level users can utilize this dashboard to access an aggregate summary of FCHE attestations submitted by facilities in their purview for any given year. Further information on this measure is available here.
Do you know the Patient and Family Engagement goals that CMS has set? Print this flyer to make sure your facility is working toward Engaging Patients in QAPI, Developing Life Plans, and Peer-to-Peer Support.
Here are three easy ways to engage your clinic and patients in discussions about Patient and Family Engagement!
There are only two more Peer Connection Calls for 2024! Please review the schedule and mark your calendars so you don’t miss out!
All calls take place at 1 p.m. CT on Thursdays and Fridays to accommodate treatment schedules! Feel free to join one or both. Staff is encouraged to join as well!
If you need assistance with recruiting a peer or working toward the PFE Goals, please book a Technical Assistance session with our Patient and Family Engagement Specialist today!
In partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the End Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center invites you to join the 2024 National Patient and Family Engagement (NPFE) Learning and Action Network (LAN) Patient Summit - Going for the Gold: Overcoming Obstacles
Healthcare professionals can earn up to 7 Continuing Education Credits.
Emergency Preparedness
All dialysis facilities are responsible for reporting facility service interruptions and closures to the Network. Emergency preparation is part of the CMS ESRD Conditions for Coverage (CfCs). Learn more here.
This material was prepared by Qsource, an End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of CMS or HHS, and any reference to a specific product or entity herein does not constitute endorsement of that product or entity by CMS or HHS. 24.ESRD.08.133
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