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Dialysis Adequacy

Targeted Facilities
Possible Contributing Factors
Materials Distributed
Data Monitoring & Feedback

Annually, Network staff review the Clinical Performance Measure (CPM) data to how the results will be used to guide Network activities during the coming year. A CPM Work Plan is developed, incorporated into the Network Quality Improvement Work Plan (QIWP), and is submitted to CMS as a contract deliverable. During 2007, the Medical Review Board (MRB) chose to focus the CPM Work Plan on Hemodialysis Adequacy. With a baseline measure of 89% of patients having attained/maintained a Kt/V level of 1.2 or greater, drawn from the 2006 CPM Project (Oct - Dec 2005), the MRB set a goal for 90% of patients to attain/maintain a Kt/V of 1.2 or greater by 4th Quarter 2007.

This project was selected and began in early 2007 and will continue through Fall 2008. The Network is targeting low performing facilities, will conduct data monitoring, and provide technical assistance to each facility in accordance with their outcomes.

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Targeted Facilities

Due to data lags and other obstacles, targeting of facilities proved challenging. The 2006 CPM data were collected in the 4th Quarter of 2005 and only included a small fraction of patients served in the Network 5 community. Consequently, no facility-specific estimates of adequacy were available. Network staff identified a partial solution, which was using data from the 2006 Lab Data Collection Project (E-lab), which was drawn from 100% of eligible facilities. However, these data were also not as current as preferred. The Network targeted facilities having 30 or more patients using the Elab data and a Kt/V rate of less than 1.2. To overcome the data time lag barrier, selected facilities were permitted to document and submit three (3) additional months of current Kt/V results to the Network office. Network staff analyzed the data and facilities with 90% of patients attaining/maintaining a Kt/V rate of 1.2 or greater during this time period were released from the project. Nursing home, military, acute care hospitals, and prison facilities were also excluded.

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Possible Contributing Factors

Several opportunities for improving adequacy were identified and include:

  • issues related to the dialysis prescription
  • the proper delivery of the prescription
  • dialyzer surface area
  • dialyzer reuse/TCV is 80% or greater of original measured value
  • length of treatment
  • blood flow rate
  • dialysate flow rate
  • type of vascular access
  • in the case of an AVF, fistula needle size and type
  • access re-circulation
  • nutritional prescription and status
  • proper blood draw technique
  • processing of blood sample used to measure adequacy
  • testing of residual urine output
  • reducing treatment time and missed treatments
  • patient education, specifically regarding hypotension and cramping
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Materials Distributed

Network assistance was provided through WebEx training along with continued follow-up. The following materials were also provided to each participant:

  • Poster - Shorter Time on Dialysis Catches Up
  • Video on Adequacy
  • DVD on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
  • Manual - Project in a Box to include CQI tools
  • Various Adequacy flyers
  • Patient Education materials

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Data Monitoring & Feedback

Facilities submit monthly Kt/V data to the Network office for review. The Network is monitoring performance and is using the data to report to the MRB and target technical assistance efforts.

This will continue through Fall 2008. Final analysis is pending.

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NEWS
As of July 2008, Network 5's AV fistula rate was 47.1%!
Celebrate National Healthcare Quality Week October 19-25, 2008.
Revised Conditions for Coverage take effect on October 14, 2008.

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