title: A data-driven approach to improving the care of in-center hemodialysis patients.
abstract: Health care providers, patients, the end stage renal disease (ESRD) networks, and HCFA have developed the ESRD Health Care Quality Improvement Program (HCQIP) in an effort to assess and improve care provided to ESRD patients. Currently, the ESRD HCQIP focuses on collecting information on quality indicators (QIs) for treatment of anemia, delivery of adequate dialysis, nutritional status, and blood pressure control for adult in-center hemodialysis patients. QIs were measured in a national probability sample of ESRD patients, and interventions and evaluations of the interventions are beginning. The ESRD HCQIP illustrates a way to mobilize the strengths of the public and private sectors to achieve improved care for special populations.
authors.affiliation: Emory University Center for Clinical Evaluation Sciences, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: McClellan
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Helgerson
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McMullan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology