In the context of the chosen clinical setting, that is, a dialysis center, it is important to identify the relevant regulatory framework. In particular, among nationwide organizations, the National Forum of End-Stage Renal Disease Network (The Forum of ESRD) is of utmost importance.
The Forum of ESRD is an umbrella entity that focuses its work on the quality of chronic kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplant care. The mission of the organization is defined as follows, “to support the ESRD Networks in promoting and improving the quality of care to patients with renal disease, through education and the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data and information”. The Forum of ESRD consists of 18 networks that cover all 50 states. (“ESRD Network Forum Website — Forum of ESRD Networks”, 2016)
The material scope of the body’s activities relates directly to the present project in the area of kidney disease management. There is a pressing need for designing a uniform approach to the clinical care of patients with kidney diseases based on existing best practices. Recognizing the specifics of health care risks, costs and setting requirements, it is important to translate clinical evidence and research into concrete guidelines and clinical practices. (Smith & Thorp, 2011)
The Forum of ESRD has published a series of clear guidelines related to the clinical treatment. One relevant example is Professional Ethics Document on ESRD Patient Solicitation. Upon providing the relevant citations from legislation and a short literature review, the document establishes a list of precise principles of professional conduct. Particularly, the principles involve the rules on the conflict of interest at the time of enrollment when the nephrologist might have a financial interest in either of the following: the vascular access center or the dialysis unit. (“Forum/RPA Position on ESRD Patient Solicitation — Forum of ESRD Networks”, 2016) Undoubtedly, these guidelines on the ethical aspects of communication between the medical staff and patients are essential for the successful implementation of the relevant project.
The biggest managerial challenge in ensuring an effective functioning of a dialysis center is the engagement of all clinical and technological tools for the benefit of patient care. The development of strategies for treatment adjustments, facilitating disease management behaviors of patients, and educating programs for nurses all benefit from an appropriate resource utilization. (Smith & Thorp, 2011) In this context, the Forum of ESRD provides a set of useful recommendations based on the organization’s interaction with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The recommendations are very specific on the issue of engaging CROWNWeb, a Web-based data-collection system, designed particularly for dialysis centers. The CROWNWeb Summary Report Compiled by the Forum of ESRD addresses a comprehensive list of engaging electronic data tools in dialysis centers ranging from handling duplicate patient records to difficulties in the assessment of facility-specific performance to the resolution of inconsistencies and errors in admission and discharge records. (“CROWNWeb – summary list of recommendations — Forum of ESRD Networks”, 2016)
Overall, the Forum of ESRD stands out among other entities as a valuable point of reference for achieving clear and easy-to-follow guidelines in the directly relevant area of clinical practice. Being a facilitator of information flow, the organization has an excellent position for advancing a national quality agenda. To this end, the Forum of ESRD develops aforementioned recommendations and other documentation. The management of kidney disease and its symptoms, occupying the central place in the present project, would clearly benefit from an appropriate form of engagement of guideline documents from an entity empowered to collect nationwide information and communicated with other regulatory and oversight bodies. Thus, the Forum of ESRD is a key regulatory agency that provides agency to our practice setting of a dialysis center.
- CROWNWeb – summary list of recommendations — Forum of ESRD Networks. (2016). Esrdnetworks.org. Retrieved 13 June 2016, from http://esrdnetworks.org/crownweb-summary-report/crownweb-summary-list-of-recommendations/view
- ESRD Network Forum Website — Forum of ESRD Networks. (2016). Esrdnetworks.org. Retrieved 13 June 2016, from http://esrdnetworks.org
- Forum/RPA Position on ESRD Patient Solicitation — Forum of ESRD Networks. (2016). Esrdnetworks.org. Retrieved 13 June 2016, from http://esrdnetworks.org/forum-rpa-position-on-esrd-patient-solicitation/forum-rpa-position-on-esrd-patient-solicitation/view
- Smith, D. & Thorp, M. (2011). Nurse-Coordinated Care in CKD: Time for Translation into Practice? Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 6 (6): 1229-1331. Retrieved from http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/6/6/1229.full#aff-2
