Improving the care of ESRD patients: a success story.
Medicare's health care quality improvement program (HCQIP) is a national effort to improve beneficiaries' quality of care. The end stage renal disease (ESRD) HCQIP was implemented in 1994 in response to criticism about the poor quality of care received by ESRD patients. Quality improvement efforts initiated by the ESRD Networks and dialysis providers in response to the HCQIP have demonstrated substantial improvement in care for dialysis patients. This article describes the evolution of the ESRD HCQIP and its successful application in the ESRD program.
McClellan
William M
WM
Georgia Medical Care Foundation, 57 Executive Park South, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. bmcclell@gmcf.org
Frankenfield
Diane L
DL
Frederick
Pamela R
PR
Helgerson
Steven D
SD
Wish
Jay B
JB
Sugarman
Jonathan R
JR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D006278:Medicare / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D014481:United States; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
D012709:Serum Albumin; D014508:Urea