Dialysis Facility Reports - how does your unit stack up?

[jbeany]

huh, betcha every one of us gets marked down with an anxiety disorder at least - because who isn't anxious starting D?!

[The Lady]

Or maybe an ESL thing - perhaps a large percentage who didn't know what a neph was?

There is a question on a form that is filled out on the day of your first treatment ... check it out
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms/images/Other/G-CMS-2728U3-1.pdf

Well, I suppose there was - it was 5 years ago and the center is now 5 hours away!  I don't remember them doing more than shoving a stack of papers at me while I was nervous and half scared out of my wits.  (Thanks to being on here, I did have enough clarity to refuse to let them put epo through my lines so I could stay in control of it and get my usual injections, though.)  Still, if other centers are even less inclined to help patients fill out paperwork, maybe my ESL theory is part of it.

ESL in Bath Maine?    Looks to me the issue is that there is no Nephrologist in Bath Maine. I don't think I have ever seen this discussed but I think I would move if I lived somewhere without a resident nephrology practice. Even if there was a dialysis center (which Bath obviously has).


The form is filled out by staff and physicians. Payment increases with comorbidities. I've always thought if every dialyzor checked their own 2728 many people would be surprised to learn they had a drinking or drug problem.

I live in Brunswick, Maine, near the Bath border and dialyze at the Bath facility.

There are no lack of nephrologists in this area. Large practices exist in both Portland and Lewiston with Nephs having satellite offices all over the state. Mine is from Lewiston and she has an office in nearby Topsham about 5 miles away. A member of the practice comes to the unit once a week to check up on us.

I was stage 4 ESRF before I knew I had kidney disease and began seeing a nephrologist.

[The Lady]

Oh...lol. This is why it seems odd to me...

Bill, you confused my facility with JBeany's.

Bath's percentage of people who saw a Neph was 40%....her facility is the one in Meadows East, Louisville, Ky. 

[Bill Peckham]

Oh...lol. This is why it seems odd to me...

Bill, you confused my facility with JBeany's.

Bath's percentage of people who saw a Neph was 40%....her facility is the one in Meadows East, Louisville, Ky. 

Oh, I was totally confused.


It would be interesting to know what was behind the 86% number in Louisville and their fistula number. Actually the DaVita Lousiville DFR would be an interesting DFR to dig into because their indicators seem to be pointing in different directions.

[dialysisadvocate]

I continue to receive calls from patients and their loved ones. If you have had a negative outcome as the result of a dialysis technician not implementing the correct practice, you can file a complaint with the state (California) and an investigation will be conducted. For specific incidents, where you might have ended up in the hospital, or had a negative outcome, injury/harm, there can be an investigation. These technicians are now certified and I wonder if they know, just as the RN, that if they are responsible for a negative outcome as the result of a preventable error an investigation can be conducted. These individuals, as RNs and LVN/LPNs, are licensed and technicians are now certified. If they are not certified they are suppose to be working under the supervision of someone who is.......................
Roberta Mikles
www.qualitysafepatientcare.com

[Cricket]

I'm new to this website, and new to dialysis (2 months).  I have very real and serious questions/concerns about my center.  On the surface, it appears "OK", but upon talking to some patients - I am shocked at their reports, opinions, and experiences.
Don't know what to think, who to speak to, etc.!!!!  Where oh where do I start?

[dialysisadvocate]

Cricket -- what are the problems that you are hearing from other patients? Have you experienced similar? Have you observed such?

If you, yourself, are experiencing problems you can ask for a care conference/treatment team/care planning meeting (some units call it different). As a new patient, you should meet with your entire team (nurse, doctor, dietician, social worker) and discuss your individualized treatment plan. You can bring up your concerns at this time. You can also be educated as to what staff wiill do regarding your treatment.

You can also speak with your nephrologist. However, I will give you a head's up as there are nephrologist out there who will not support the patient and support the staff. In fact, when my father was alive, he experienced major retaliation from some staff and the physician never really cared. It was always determined that we were wrong for some reason, never taking into account that there were staff who acted inappropriately .. Can you imagine a technician telling patients and family members that (this tech) needed to take anger management classes? HELLO.. Or staff deliberately ignoring a patient who needed help,... well, there are units where this takes place.. but, there are also good units.

There used to be a great manual for technicians that was available for anyone. A great teaching tool.  I think you can still get it.
http://www.kidneyschool.org/ 

Above opinions of Roberta Mikles
www.qualitysafepatientcare.com

[Bill Peckham]

I'm new to this website, and new to dialysis (2 months).  I have very real and serious questions/concerns about my center.  On the surface, it appears "OK", but upon talking to some patients - I am shocked at their reports, opinions, and experiences.
Don't know what to think, who to speak to, etc. !!!!  Where oh where do I start?

What are your concerns?

[dialysisadvocate]

Absolutely,,, please share with us your concerns.
Roberta

[ladyhawk526]

I was reading all these statistics and see that Sempticemia is on the list.  Is this a fairly common occurance for dialysis pts?  I have had that but I got it when I received a transplant.  Almost killed me but I have never heard of anyone getting it while on dialysis.

[dialysisadvocate]

An updated 'tracker' has been completed by ProPublica -- www.propublica.org/dialysis
This will give you details on your facility -- this is the data that CMS was protecting prior to the original ProPublica article

To View California Inspection Reports --- www.qualitysafepatientcare.com
Having a problem with delivery of care in your unit -- call 1-800-847-8842 Healthcare Dialysis Coalition - NON INDUSTRY CONNECTED - helping patients receive quality, safe care ................

Roberta Mikles BA RN
Dialysis Patient Safety Advocate

[Whamo]

I like my dialysis center.   They do a good job, for the most part, but there's this one nurse who's really weird.  At the end of four hours on the machine he started taunting and teasing me.  As an ex-Infantry soldier I had to restrain myself from clobbering the clown.  I did lose my temper, and call him a rear end (well, the other word that starts with an "A").   The rest of the staff is usually very friendly with me, but they've been giving me the cold shoulder.  I don't really care, since I'm doing my last hemo treatment today, but I've decided to report him to the head nurse.  If it happens again, tonight, I'll write a letter to the appropriate person on the complaint ladder.  I wish I could just deck the guy.  I hate being an adult sometimes.

[MightyMike]

Wow really what was he teasing you about if you don't mind me asking?  I would report him anyway because that is neither appropriate nor professional especially in there line of work.  I would be damned if some tech was teasing me I would take my needles and stab him right in the neck.

[jerseyjezebel]

My dialysis center doesn't stack up too well against others in my area.  I don't know if I should change or what...my nephrologist told me that he wanted me to go to another center from the beginning but the one I go to is just a few blocks from my house.  Of course, I go to dialysis by medical transport so it really doesn't matter where it is.

[Krisna]

Thanks for posting this Bill.  I'm glad SeaTac looks pretty good as do the others I sometimes run back up at.  I am lucky to have never had an infection in my access.  I'll have to check out the ones I sometimes go to in Spokane later!

[JaeCie]

I recommed dialysispatients.org and usrds.org

[noahvale]

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[JaeCie]

No

[noahvale]

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[Simon Dog]

huh, betcha every one of us gets marked down with an anxiety disorder at least - because who isn't anxious starting D?!

DSM-V has categorized many aspects of normal life as a "disorder".   Your dog died and your depressed?   It's actually a "disorder" now.  Ditto for worry and anxiety.   I suspect i't because diagnosis==$$

[JaeCie]

Hi Noahvale,

Thanks for the information although I don't understand what it has to do with anything. If you're interested in getting information on a disease you go to as many places as you can to do your due dilligence. This is another option for doing that. I provide information to dialysis patients at no charge to them, and am happy to include information on diabetes and hypertension and cardiovascular issues that I get free of charge from dialysispatients.org. My dialysis provider was DaVita and I have no issues with them.

JaeCie

[noahvale]

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[JaeCie]

Thanks Noahvale, considering we all have a foot and a half in the grave, it's great to be able to have these conversations and it's totally awesome to have choices. Continued best wishes to you on this journey.