Tools and Resources for Assessing the Functional Status of ESRD Patients
The following are some resources and tools that can aid renal social workers in the assessment of the functional status of patients:
- The Kidney Disease Quality of LIfe Survey (KDQOL) is a disease-specific survey that includes a generic functionaing and well-being survey plus questions related to kidney disease like burden of illness, satisfaction with care, sexual functioning, and more. You can find a couple of versions of the survey and associated scoring templates online at the KDQOL website (both are free, but you must register to download them) at http://www.gim.med.ucla.edu/kdqol/.
- The SF-36 is a Quality of Life (QOL) instrument available at http://www.sf-36.org/. This website has both the SF-36 and SF-12 samples. Before administering these forms, registration and licensing fees are required.
- The Geriatric Depression Scale (short form) is available at http://www.stanford.edu/~yesavage/GDS.html and can be downloaded for your use free of charge. It is easy to score, and scores can be prorated to remove the somatic components such as energy, appetite, etc. A Spanish version is also available.
- The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) Fast Screen for medical patients is copyrighted and is available for a fee. The BDI Fast Screen was constructed to reduce the number of false positives for depression in patients with known biological, medical or substance abuse problems. You may purchase the BDI from the publisher, Harcourt Assessment.
- The Physicians Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is copyrighted, and is available in English and Spanish. to read and agree to the terms of usage, locate scoring instructions and register for download, go to http://www.depression-primarycare.org/clinicians/toolkits.
- The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale - Short Form (CESD-SF) quality of life tool is used to measure current depressive symptoms. Items on the short forms contain simple vocabulary in short sentences. The CESD-SF can be administered by self-report or interview. A PDF version is available for download at http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/research/cesd10.pdf.
- The Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) has a listserv where social workers can join and request peer input on difficult cases. Visit their homepage at http://www.kidney.org/professionals/CNSW.
Additional resources are available for patients:
- Coping Effectively: A Guide for Patients and Their Families is a booklet available through the National Kidney foundation at http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozcopy.cfm?pdflink=coping.pdf.
- Just the Facts: Dealing with Depression is a two-page fact sheet on depression.
- English --> http://www.lifeoptions.org/catalog/pdfs/teaching/Depression.pdf.
- Spanish --> http://www.lifeoptions.org/catalog/pdfs/teaching/SP_Depression.pdf.
- American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) provides information and support to patients. Log on at http://www.aakp.org.
Contact Dean Morris, Patient Services Coordinator for further questions and assistance at (412) 325-2250. This page was adopted from FMQAI: The Florida ESRD Network 7 and from the Northwest Renal Network.
Techical Assistance Available
ESRD Network 4 is happy provide the following services ...
- Assist you and your patients with resolution of complaints and grievances
- Consult regarding approaches to managing challenging situations
- Provide education regarding community resource information and materials
- Assist facility with developing education programs
- Provide voacational rehabilitation information
- Assist patients with locating transient dialysis care
- Provide education and assistance regarding CMS requirements
- Communicate essential information that will affect facilities via mail, e-bulletin, or fax
- Represent the needs of the renal community, patients and providers to CMS
- Develop collborative partnerships to promote improved quality outcomes for patients
- Inform facilities about Network goals and activities
