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Important Information about the Data Systems Outage
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement extended system maintenance of its Health Care Quality Information System (HCQIS) Data Center from Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 8:00 PM ET until Monday, March 21, 2016 at 11:59 PM ET. During this time,  CMS will move its HCQIS Data Center- affecting the availability of all HCQIS applications, including:
- QualityNet.org
- Consolidated Renal Operations in a Web-Enabled Network (CROWNWeb)
- ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP)
Please inform the appropriate personnel about the unavailability of these data systems.
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ACTION REQUIRED! CMS-2744 Annual Facility Survey
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April 1, 2016 is the final due date for submission of completed 2744 forms to the IPRO ESRD Network of New England for approval
If you have any questions, please contact the Network Data Department.
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Weekly CROWNWeb Maintenance
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement CROWNWeb restarts (which will occur at 9:00 PM ET on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) effective February 24, 2016. Each restart will take approximately one hour to complete and will continue until further notice.
CMS has been testing regular system restarts since October 2015, which have presented some improvements, and will continue to address the issue as the agency believes increasing the number of restarts will help ensure improved performance. CROWNWeb users should continue to report any refresh issues to the QualityNet Help Desk at 1-866-288-8912.
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Network Quality Improvement Activities
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The following Quality Improvement Activities (QIA) have been launched. Please check the links for each to identify the project needs, and if your facility is involved in any of these projects.
If you have questions please email your Network QI Team at quality@nw1.esrd.net.
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Call for Technical Expert Panel Nominations- Help Develop Quality Measures
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 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with the University of Michigan Kidney Epidemiology and Cost Center (UM-KECC) to develop a quality measure(s) related to Emergency Department (ED) visits. Click here for more information about the Call for TEP (Technical Expert Panel) Members: ESRD Emergency Department Visits
If you wish to nominate yourself or other individuals for consideration, please complete the form and email it to dialysisdata@umich.edu by close of business (5:00pm ET) on March 21, 2016.
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Advanced Renal Education Program (AREP) is happy to announce the launch of their new website. A source for comprehensive renal information and eLearning courses. For more information and to sign up for courses and other information news and alerts, visit advancedrenaleducation.com.
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National Kidney Month & World Kidney Day
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 Kidneys filter 200 liters of blood a day, help regulate blood pressure and direct red blood cell production. But they are also prone to disease; 1 in 3 Americans is at risk for kidney disease due to diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney failure. There are more than 26 million Americans who already have kidney disease, and most don't know it because there are often no symptoms until the disease has progressed. During National Kidney Month in March, and in honor of World Kidney Day on March 14, the NKF offers the following health activities to promote awareness of kidneys, risk factors and kidney disease:
- Free Screenings: On World Kidney Day and throughout the Month of March, NKF is offering free screenings to those most at risk for kidney disease - anyone with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney failure. Locations and information can be found on the calendar on our website.
- 'Are You at Risk' Kidney Quiz: Early detection can make a difference in preventing kidney disease so it's important to know if you're at risk. Take the online kidney quiz!
- Live Twitter Chat with Dr. Joseph Vassalotti: The National Kidney Foundation's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph Vassalotti, will be hosting an interactive kidney Q&A on World Kidney Day, Thursday, March 14, from 12-2 PM ET. Ask your questions at www.twitter.com/nkf using the hash-tag #WorldKidneyDayNKF
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 Our nation's more than 600,000 social workers have amazing tenacity and talent.
They confront some of the most challenging issues facing individuals, families, communities and society and forge solutions that help people reach their full potential and make our nation a better place to live. We celebrate the contributions of social workers during National Social Work Month in March.
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The IPRO End Stage Renal Disease Network Program Facebook page is an interactive community where patients, care partners, and professionals can learn and share information about ESRD.
 Check out our most popular posts last month at:- February 4, 2016- CDC Alert: Severe Influenza Illness Reported
- February 10, 2016- ICH CAHPS and How it Benefits You
- February 23, 2016- 21-year-old Receives Kidney from Adoptive Brother
- February 25, 2016- The National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Quiz
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Protecting Dual Eligibles from Balance Billing- What Advocates Need to Know
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Justice in Aging, a non-profit organization focused on fighting senior poverty, released a presentation to help people with Medicare and the professionals who assist them understand balance billing. Balance billing happens when doctors and hospitals charge you more than the amount approved by Medicare.
According to Justice in Aging, "As more and more patients move to [Medicaid] managed care plans, balance billing may increase due to doctor and hospital confusion." It is important for people to understand what balance billing is and how to recognize it.
To view a presentation on Balance Billing and Dual Eligibles please click here.
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Upcoming Meeting & Events |
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Sunday, May 1- May 4, 2016- ANNA National Symposium, Nephrology Nursing event at the Marriot Louisville & Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY
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