CDC HONORS RENAL CAREPARTNERS CLINIC FOR PREVENTION EFFORTS

[okarol]

CDC HONORS RENAL CAREPARTNERS CLINIC FOR PREVENTION EFFORTS
3 weeks ago
Posted in News, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), Infection Control, Prevention, Government & Regulation, Business Print

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has honored Renal CarePartners of Woodbridge, Va., for its work in preventing serious healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among dialysis patients.

Since September 2009, the clinic’s staff has worked with other dialysis facilities in a voluntary, national collaborative effort to reduce bloodstream infections (BSIs), which are among the most deadly conditions affecting dialysis patients. The collaborative is a partnership between dedicated hemodialysis providers, CDC, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Mid-Atlantic Renal Coalition.

“We applaud the efforts of Renal CarePartners of Woodbridge for their work to prevent bloodstream infections among hemodialysis patients” said Dr. Priti Patel, medical epidemiologist with CDC.

At a recent national meeting of the collaborative group, Renal CarePartners of Woodbridge was recognized with a plaque for its commitment to preventing BSIs.  The facility was recognized specifically for its efforts in recruiting other collaborative members.  RCP Woodbridge is a state of the art outpatient dialysis unit which serves the Northern Virginia area.

“Thanks to Naomi Carbone, Facility Administrator, and her entire staff for their hard work as the unit has been named a Benchmark Facility by Mid- Atlantic Renal Coalition, and  has achieved Five Diamond recognition for their commitment to quality improvement.” said Orestes Lugo, president of Renal CarePartners.

BSIs requiring hospitalization among hemodialysis patients have been on the rise since 1993. Dialysis patients represented 15 percent of all invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cases reported to CDC in 2005, with 86 percent of those cases being BSIs. The increasing burden of BSIs in hemodialysis sparked CDC’s efforts to lead a collaborative of motivated dialysis care providers to reduce and prevent these potentially devastating infections.

Participating facilities track infection rates among their patients using CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network, a surveillance system that allows facilities to compare and benchmark rates in order to tailor and improve infection prevention efforts. In addition, dialysis collaborative members network with other members and experts across the country through in-person meetings and conference calls to discuss prevention topics, share practices, and review their individual activities.

“The Renal CarePartners staff involved in this initiative are national leaders who are changing the landscape of hemodialysis patient care for the better,” said Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, Associate Director for Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention Programs at CDC.

http://www.renalbusiness.com/news/2010/12/cdc-honors-renal-carepartners-clinic-for-prevention-efforts.aspx

[DrMoskowitz]

But the CDC has had absolutely zero interest in preventing 90% of dialysis. I approached them multiple times (1) about publicizing my paper (2); they didn't even bother replying. No state or federal agency entrusted with the public's health has had the slightest interest in preventing 90% of ESRD (1). Public health is in an atrocious state in this country, and the entire First World. The developing world at least acknowledges that they can't possibly pay for dialysis, and are interested in trying to prevent it. The First World has too many healthcare providers benefitting financially from dialysis to think about eradicating 90% of the disease.

References
1. http://tinyurl.com/healthcrime
2:  Moskowitz DW. From pharmacogenomics to improved patient outcomes: angiotensin I-converting enzyme as an example. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2002;4(4):519-32.
PMID: 12396747. (http://www.genomed.com/pdf/diabetes.technology.therapeutics.pdf).