Quality Insights Renal Network 4 (QIRN 4) is committed to providing valuable resources that help improve the quality of renal care in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

We encourage you to visit our Web site for the most up-to-date information or to contact us with questions, comments or suggestions.

IMPORTANT NOTE:This bi-weekly e-newsletter will serve as our primary method of communicating important news and updates.

Sincerely,
Your QIRN 4 Team

Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events

ANNA Keystone Chapter 27th Annual Fall Symposium

November 6, 2014

Crown Plaza Hotel, Trevose, PA

Event Brochure

Save the Date: QIRN 4 Quarterly Council Meeting

Save the date for the QIRN 4 Quarterly Council Meeting on December 16, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. All facilities are expected to send a representative.

Ebola Updates

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a new fact sheet around the topic of Ebola. The fact sheet contains information about transmission, signs and symptoms, risk of exposure, diagnosis, treatment and more. View the fact sheet here. View the CDC Ebola webpage here.

Additional Resources

Global Handwashing Day Resources Now Available

Global Handwashing Day is an occasion to support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap, shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in each country, and raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.

Join the Event

Organize or participate in a Global Handwashing Day event in your school or community.

Plan your event using the Global Handwashing Day Planner's Guide
Gather materials
Download Global Handwashing Day materials and planning tools

Celebrate virtually on Twitter and Facebook (look for and use the hashtag #iwashmyhands)
Play the World Wash Up game
Make sure you and your family know when and how to wash your hands properly

Additional Resources

Hand Hygiene Poster

Hand Hygiene Mini Poster

Handwashing Fact Sheet

Handwashing: A Corporate Activity

News from the NHSN Help Desk: What to Do When You Have No Events to Report for a Month

Confused about reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) when you don't have any dialysis events to report? Learn more about what to do in this situation.

Submit Your Emergency Preparedness Articles

Our focus at QIRN 4 is to "Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare." If you have any disaster preparedness articles or links, please e-mail your information to dknight@nw4.esrd.net so it may be posted in our bi-weekly newsletter.

Become a Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technician (CHBT)

The Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT) announces a new Certified Hemodialysis Bio-Medical Technologist (CHBT) Exam and Certification program. While there is no CMS requirement for national certification at this time, BONENT hopes for all Bio-Medical Technicians to begin to work pro-actively toward national certification for the benefit of all dialysis patients. Learn more about the CHBT exam here.

CROWNWeb New User Training Open for Registration

Are you new to CROWNWeb, or just need a refresher on how to use the system? CROWNWeb New User Training is for you. This informative two-day course
(90 minutes per day) covers all the basic knowledge a new CROWNWeb user would require to begin using the system. October's training events are now open for registration, so register today.

October New User Training

October 21 and 22
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET

CROWNWeb October Newsletter and Help Desk Newsletter Now Available

The CROWNWeb October 2014 Newsletter and CROWNWeb Help Desk Newsletter for the 3rd Quarter of 2014 are both now available. For questions or more information, please contact QualityNet Help Desk at qnetsupport-esrd@hcqis.org or call (866) 288-8912.

ESRD NCC Information Exchange

The ESRD 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 Web site. You can also check the QIRN 4 website for updates that include material from the Information Exchange.

Quality Insights Renal Network 4

630 Freedom Business Center, Suite 116
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-265-2418

800-548-9205 (patients only)

610-783-0374 (fax)

www.qirn4.org

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. ESRD4-102214