The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a proposed scope of work for the ESRD Networks on Feb. 3 covering 2012-2013. The renal community has until Feb. 17 to submit comments on the plan.

CMS says the SOW activities and projects are aligned with the Health and Human Services’ National Quality Strategy (NQS), the CMS Three Aims, and “other CMS priorities designed to result in improvements in the care of individuals with ESRD.”

The 76-page document includes a number of projects closely linked to clinical performance measures that are part of the Quality Incentive Program beginning in 2013 and 2014. Among the goals:

• Identify Patient Participant Advocates in the regional and national Patient Learning and Action Network to help with patient communication. These patients would help the Network with a number of tasks, including developing at least two campaigns or educational materials intended for patients, such as materials focused on health literacy, effectively navigating the dialysis system, treatment modalities, or other patient-centered goals.

• Achieve and sustain the goal of at least 68% arteriovenous (AV) fistula rate for prevalent patients.  Using the March data of the prior calendar year as a baseline, the Network shall reduce its quality deficit by 7% with a minimum required improvement of 1.0% absolute improvement until a goal of 68% is reached. The network shall also track catheter rates and will target a network reduction in prevalent catheter rates by at least 2% in dialysis facilities that have a catheter rate higher than 10%.  The measureable Network goal shall be to reduce catheter rates by at least 2% over the contract.

• Reach a goal of 90% of facilities reporting central-line-associated bloodstream infections.

Other goals include increasing immunization rates, reducing hospitalizatons, reducing disparities in individuals being placed on the transplant waiting list, and promoting home dialysis and rehabilitation.