Goals and Recommendations - 2023-2024

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, contracts with 18 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network Organizations throughout the United States to perform oversight activities to ensure appropriateness of services and protection for ESRD patients. Quality Insights Renal Network 3 (QIRN 3) is the ESRD Network contractor selected to serve New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

REQUIRED NETWORK GOALS FOR ALL FACILITIES: 

• Participate in and meet deadlines for Network led activities. Notify the ESRD Network of key personnel changes.
• Access the Network ESRD Facility Dashboard and pursue achievement of the goals assigned for:
  • Increasing the number of patients screened positive for Depression that are receiving care
  • Increase Home Dialysis (Direct Starts and Transitions)
  • Increase Transplant (Waiting list and Transplantation)
  • Increase Vaccinations (COVID: patients & staff, Flu: patients & staff, Pneumococcal)
  • Reduce Hospital Admissions, Readmissions, and Outpatient Emergency Visits
  • Increase Patient Engagement (Patient-to-Patient Support, Inclusion in QAPI meetings, use of a Life Plan to develop the patient’s plan of care)
  • Meet the Network goals for EQRS Forms Reporting Deadlines
• Establish and maintain a quality assessment and performance improvement program that evaluates the care provided and identifies opportunities for and continuously works to improve care delivered.

• Residual renal function should be incorporated into adequacy measures when appropriate

• Submit Submit data and information timely and accurately as defined by project to the Network and in End Stage Renal Disease Quality Reporting System (EQRS) as is required by law and regulation.
• Register in NHSN, enroll in the Network 3 group and submit dialysis event data and information timely and accurately on a monthly basis.

• NJ facilities- Report reportable events including emergencies that disrupt dialysis delivery through NoviSurvey. For guidance on how to report in NoviSurvey, email NonLTC.Reportables@doh.nj.gov.
• Designate two disaster representatives for the facility and provide alternate contact information in EQRS for primary and secondary disaster personnel.
• Notify the Network if the facility activates its contingency plans due to an emergency event, facility plans to close or alter treatments and/or there is impact to facility operations. Link: https://esrdqiaforms.qualityinsights.org/nw3/emergencyevent/create

• Assess and refer in a timely manner medically suitable patients to treatment modalities that increase rehabilitation and independence including in-center self-care, home self-care and transplantation.
• NJ specific - NJ state regulations require a transplant surgeon or designee is a part of the plan of care interdisciplinary team. (N.J.A.C Title 8 Chapter 43 8:43A-24.13 Patient care plan).

• Clearly delineate and respect the rights and responsibilities of both the patient, family, significant others and the facility while promoting patient/family centered care and engagement.
• Facilities should actively consult with the Network regarding difficult patient situations prior to any situation escalating to the consideration of an involuntary discharge.
• Promote patient-appropriate access to in-center dialysis care at the facility level by:
  • Avoiding involuntary discharges (IVDs) and involuntary transfers (IVTs)
  • Assisting in the placement of patients at risk for IVDs or IVTs

• Make available to patients Network-provided information on its Quality Improvement Projects, the CMS ESRD QIP, Regional and National profiles of care, the importance of immunization, information on how to access and use CMS Dialysis Facility Compare.

• All facilities should welcome, seek and respect the involvement of the patient, including their family as requested, in every aspect of medical care.
• Patients should be provided the opportunity to define the members of their families.
• Facilities should work to increase the number of patients participating in their care planning.
• Facilities should educate patients about all treatment options at initiation of renal replacement therapy annually, and at additional times if indicated by changes in clinical condition.
• Facilities should include patient representation on QAPI workgroups.
• Facilities should encourage patients to become Network subject matter experts to provide the patient perspective in quality improvement activities.

• All facilities are urged to embrace a “culture of safety” and initiate specific measures to enhance safety, and prevent/reduce medical errors, such as:
  • Use a standardized abbreviation list
  • Use stickers to warn of allergies, of like or similar names and anticoagulation therapy
  • Post a list of drug dialyze-ability, or drugs to avoid during dialysis
  • Track adverse events/incidents
  • Identify and track healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) that develop during the course of care in the facility, and report such infections in NHSN
  • Identify, track and use preventative measures against central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) that include:
    • Routine review of central venous line care procedures with healthcare workers and patients
    • Removal of non-essential central venous lines
• All facilities are encouraged to participate in the 5-Diamond Patient Safety Program
• All facilities should follow the CDC’s Recommendations for Preventing Transmission of Infections Among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

Resources

• PY 2025 Final Rule
• CY 2023 Technical Specifications
• KDOQI Guidelines
• NHSN CDC Dialysis Component
• Dialysis Facility Report

MRB approved: 03/08/2023 

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