Sensing Savvy

In late September 2019, DCH Health Systems stopped accepting new patients and had to revert to manual mode — using paper copies of records and notes — to treat existing patients. The hospital system became infected with ransomware, a malicious type of software that blocks access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid, after an employee opened an email with an infected attachment.

There are 20 million veterans in the United States. Approximately nine million are enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). About six million of these veterans receive their healthcare in one of the VHA facilities. Among the more than 6,000 dialysis units nationwide, there are approximately 70 VHA dialysis centers. Each year, approximately 13,000 veterans transition to renal replacement therapy, mostly for maintenance dialysis. Given this number of VHA dialysis centers and their limited capacity, only 10 percent of all dialysis veterans initiate treatment at a VHA dialysis center.

As the dawn of a new decade approaches, healthcare professionals across the world are preparing for a host of new trends and developments. No doubt there are developments in cutting-edge technology that will transform healthcare, ensuring greater efficiency for physicians and better outcomes for their patients.

To help you prepare for the 12 months ahead, as well as the years to follow, here are five healthcare trends set to reshape the industry as we know it.

Making the switch to working locum tenens can be a rewarding and fulfilling career decision. But while it allows you to make a significant impact at a new facility, grow your professional network, enjoy greater flexibility, and increase your income potential, it’s not uncommon to encounter a few challenges, too.

For example, locum tenens physicians often have to overcome plenty of communication hurdles when working as part of a brand new team. They also frequently experience credentialing complications and tax issues. In some cases, you may be placed in a location far from family or in a highly remote area, which can take some adjusting.

Speaking in front of a group of peers can be intimidating, and presenting new ideas can make you feel vulnerable. As a physician, it’s critical you get your messages across clearly, but unrefined public speaking skills or discomfort with speaking in front of others can make it challenging to convey information properly.

(Gleaned from the 2018 USRDS Annual Data Report: Volume II: Chapter 3)

• In 2016, 80% of patients were using a catheter at hemodialysis (HD) initiation.
• At 90 days after the initiation of HD, 69% of patients were still using catheters.
• Arteriovenous (AV) fistula use at HD initiation rose from 12% to 17% between 2005 and 2016.
• The percentage of patients using an AV fistula or with a maturing AV fistula at HD initiation increased from 28.9% to 33% over the same period.
  

(From 2018 USRDA Data Volume 2: ESRD in the United States)

Diabetes mellitus remains the predominant likely underlying cause of treated ESRD worldwide. Nearly 71 percent of the countries that participated in the U.S. Renal Data system report assigned DM as the primary cause for the incidence of treated ESRD and a key contributor to the global burden of kidney disease and ESRD.

Some stats gleaned from the USRDA report:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) received 330 responses to its proposed ESRD Treatment Choices model. The model, according to CMS, encourages greater use of home dialysis and kidney transplants for Medicare beneficiaries with ESRD.

Study: Influence on For-Profit Dialysis Centers on Kidney Transplantation

While most nephrologists agree that kidney transplants are the optimal choice for patients with kidney disease, a recent study from JAMA reports that the likelihood of a patient receiving a transplant depends on who owns the dialysis facility. The study, which analyzed data from the U.S. Renal Data System, found that dialysis clinics owned by for-profit companies had a lower rate of referrals for transplant.

Source: Nephrology News & Issues

(Gleaned from 2018 USRDA Data Volume 2: ESRD in the United States)

Incidence is the ratio of total new cases in a population divided by total population. Incidence refers to new cases of the disease in the population in a year.

Incidence rates of treated ESRD have remained relatively stable since 2002-2003 in most high-income countries, but have actually declined by 2 percent to 10 percent in Austria, Finland, Sweden, Scotland, Denmark and Iceland.

Prevalence is the ratio of the total number of patients diagnosed and getting treatment of a disease to the total population. It tells how widespread disease is in a population.