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Collaborative Members
Leesburg Memorial Regional Hospital
Memorial Regional Hospital
Munroe Regional Medical Center
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Lakeland Regional Medical Center
Shands Hospital
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital |
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MONTHLY TELECONFERENCE
Next Teleconference
April 14, 2009 9:00 a.m. |
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RESOURCES
Read about a simple strategy to screen for kidney disease at Renal Business.com
Check out the eGFR Trending Tool on FMQAI's website. Click here. | |
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Making System Level Changes - Easy as 1, 2 3
Identification of at risk patients is the first step to effective  intervention. Request your staff to work with your laboratory to routinely calculate and report GFR values. Utilize Discharge Planning to help educate and engage patients to follow up with your community specialists. And remember, FMQAI offers a number of tools to assist your busy hospitalists, primary care physicians and other hospital team members. Click here to check out our tools. |
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What's New to Help You!!!
 Good News for the Hospital Team! The National Vascular Access Improvement Initiative now considers AVF's as the gold standard for vascular access. In their article entitled: AVF's are the Godl Standard for Vascular Access – Reimbursement Change, the NVAII just released the new 2009 fee schedule that includes a 30% increase reimbursement rate in RVU's for AVF surgical code #36821. Visit www.fistulafirst.org to learn more about helpful tools and this important new change. The vascular access poster is wonderful and can be duplicated for your immediate use.
The American Kidney Fund is now offering a 1.5 hour CME course entitled: Identifying Chronic Kidney Disease and Slowing Its Progress. This course is designed to educate Primary Care Physicians, Physician Assistants and Pharmacists on the need to increase Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) screening with high risk groups. For more information visit the American Kidney Fund website at www.kidneyfund.org. In addition, to assist you with your participation in the State Hospital Collaborative, FMQAI has designed a power point presentation providing the background and goals of the CKD project. A member of the FMQAI team would be delighted to personally present this program to members of your staff. |
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Florida Kidney Day
 February 18 marked the celebration of Florida Kidney Day in Tallahassee. Members of the Florida Renal Coalition met with legislators to discuss proposed changes to Medigap insurance. A combination of dialysis providers, advocacy groups, members of the National Kidney foundation, FMQAI CKD team, and patients themselves held a press conference to discuss Senate bill 1022, and House bill 675. These bills showcase the need for entry of ESRD Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 into Medigap plans. If Florida passes this important legislation, people with kidney failure would have access to necessary treatments and services. Fewer people would face the need to spend down prior to qualifying for the Medicaid program.
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The Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Florida
 FMQAI serves as the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization and End Stage Renal Disease Network (ESRD Network 7) for Florida. With a strong reputation as a leader in facilitating change and collaboration, FMQAI implements projects and conducts case review activities to improve care across all settings, including dialysis and transplant facilities.
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