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Welcome to the March 18 edition of the Quality Insights Renal Network 4 (QIRN4) e-newsletter. In this issue, we bring you information about OPTN requests for public comment, ICH-CAHPS facility name verification, National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) news, ESRD events, resources and much more. We encourage you to contact us with any questions, concerns or suggestions. 
OPTNoptn/unos requests public comment on policy and bylaw proposals
The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/ United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) has offered nine proposals, developed by its committees, for public comment. When the public comment period ends on March 25, each sponsoring committee will review the feedback it received and consider modifications to the original proposals. The OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors may then review and vote on these proposals at its meeting on June 6 and 7. Please provide your comments on these proposals. You may also continue to send general feedback to [email protected]. Please submit all comments no later than March 25. For general questions about the proposals, please contact your Regional Administrator at (804) 782-4800.

OPTN/UNOS welcome your feedback on these proposals and other aspects of the public comment process as it continues to improve the way that it communicates with the community.
Thank you in advance for your careful review and feedback on these proposals.
ICHCAHPSich-cahps encourages all facilities to verify facility name with patients
The name of each in-center dialysis facility (CCN) included on the sample file provided by the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team is the name specified on the CROWNWeb file as the facility's "DBA" (During Business As) name. ICH-CAHPS provides the DBA name instead of the legal name as these can differ significantly. Some sample patients might not recognize a facility's legal name. In most cases, sample patients should recognize the DBA name that is provided on the sample file. However, all facilities are strongly encouraged to check with patients to determine the facility name that is known and recognized. If that facility name is different from your DBA name, you should include it in your cover letters, mail questionnaires, and telephone scripts.
Please contact the ICH CAHPS Coordination Team at (866) 245-8083 or via e-mail at [email protected] if you have any questions.
NHSNDeadlinecms reporting deadline is aPproaching for nhsn dialysis event surveillance: march 31
To meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) ESRD QIP National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) reporting requirements for Payment Year 2017, outpatient hemodialysis clinics must submit their fourth quarter 2015 Dialysis Event data collected from October 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, by Thursday, March 31. New or revised fourth quarter data entered into NHSN after March 31 will not be sent to CMS. Therefore, please be aware that any changes or corrections to fourth quarter 2015 data should be made prior to the reporting deadline.

Review the newsblast for information to help ensure your data are complete and accurate before the March 31 deadline.

Contact the NHSN Helpdesk with the subject line 'Dialysis' with any questions.

CROWNWebNewsletterCROWNWeb Newsletter for March is Now Available
The March 2016 edition of the CROWNWeb Newsletter is now online. The CROWNWeb Newsletter focuses on user-specific topics, such as training, account management, use of the CROWNWeb system, and tips and tricks, as well as key technical aspects of CROWNWeb. This month's featured stories include:
  • Have You Done Your PART?
  • Data Center Move - EQRS Systems Unavailable
  • CMS Implements CROWNWeb Restarts
  • CMS-2744 Instructions Available via CMS Site
  • CMS-2744 Training Recording Available
AlertsRecallsAlerts and recalls

SONGsong aims to better understand treatment effects and care
The Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology (SONG) initiative is an international survey that aims to find out what effects of treatment and care are important and relevant to kidney transplant patients, family members, kidney donors, caregivers, and health professionals. Participants will be asked to complete three short (5- to 10-minute) surveys about three weeks apart during March and June. 


NKFSpringMeetingRegistration for NKF's Spring Clinical Meetings is now open
The National Kidney Foundation's Spring Clinical Meetings 2016 present a unique opportunity for busy renal health care providers to learn new developments related to all aspects of nephrology. Registration is now open
CNSWCNSW of Eastern PA and DE spring program is announced
The Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware has announced its upcoming spring program for Wednesday, April 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.  The program will take place at the Community Center at Giant, located at 315 York Road, Willow Grove, PA. 5.0 CEUs will be offered, pending approval. The cost of registration is $50. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register today or learn more and view the agenda

ANNASymposiumanna national symposium to be held in may
The American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) will be hosting its 47th National Symposium May 1 - 4 at the Marriott Louisville and Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY. The symposium provides opportunities for nephrology nurses to expand their knowledge, enhance clinical skills, and widen professional networks. For more information, visit www.annasymposium.org

ESRDResourcesESRD resources  
 
AHRQ Releases Health Literacy Toolkit for Primary Care Practices
Only 12 percent of U.S. adults have the health literacy skills needed to manage the demands of our complex healthcare system, and even these individuals' ability to absorb and use health information can be compromised by stress or illness. Experts recommend assuming that everyone may have difficulty understanding and creating an environment where all patients can thrive. Like with blood safety, universal precautions should be taken to address health literacy because we can't know which patients are challenged by healthcare information and tasks at any given time. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit - 2nd edition can help primary care practices reduce the complexity of healthcare, increase patient understanding of health information, and enhance support for patients of all health literacy levels. Here are additional tools for improving health literacy: Learn more about how to improve primary care by visiting AHRQ's National Center for Excellence in Primary Care
 
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 [email protected] or visit the ESRD NCC website


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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. ESRD4-031616