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Vocational Rehabilitation Toolkit

The Renal Network strives to facilitate the achievement of optimal wellness for renal disease patients. "Optimal wellness" not only includes safe and quality care, but must also include efforts to improve patient independence, quality of life, and rehabilitation. The CMS Conditions for Coverage for ESRD Facilities require facilities to assist patients with an individualized vocational rehabiliation (VR) plan. In support of this endeavor, and to aid you in your quality improvement efforts, The Renal Network has developed a Vocational Rehabilitation Toolkit.

The following are recommended practices, tools and resources:

Tools for Facilities

DELAWARE
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
302-761-8275
4425 N. Market Street, PO Box 9969, Wilmington, DE 19809

INDIANA
Commission on Rehabilitation Services
800-545-7763
402 W. Washington Street, MS-20, PO Box 7083, Indianapolis, IN 46207

ILLINOIS
Office of Rehabilitation Services
800-843-6154
100 South Grand Avenue East, Springfield, IL 62762

KENTUCKY
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
800-372-7172
CHR Building, 275 E. Main street, Mail Stop 2E-K, Frankfort, KY 40621

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
800-442-6351
1521 N. 6th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102

OHIO
Rehabilitation Services Commission
800-282-4536
400 East Campus View Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43235

Recommended Practices for Providers

Informational Materials for Patients

Life Options

Life Options Rehabilitation Program promotes the use of '5 E's' as bridges to rehabilitation. These 5 E's include Encouragement, Education, Exercise, Employment, and Evaluation. The Life Options programs Keys to a Long Life and Building Quality of Life: A Practical Guide to Renal Rehabilitation focus on living well and living longer.

The Network highly recommends Life Option's booklets entitled Unit Self-Assessment Manual for Renal Rehabilitation and A Practice Guide to Renal Rehabilitation to assist in starting or improving the facility's rehabilitation program. The USAT and other booklets can be downloaded from the "Free Materials" section on the professional side of the Life Options website at http://www.lifeoptions.org/catalog/catalog.php?prodCat=booklets.

Visit Life Options at www.lifeoptions.org to access the many other fine resources on rehabilitation and quality of life.

Improving Employment Outcomes

The Patient Services Department encourages each facility to establish and define rehabilitation goals for their patients and to work with their local vocational rehabilitation counselors to determine appropriate referrals. Sometimes patients who are employed will need to dialyze on a certain shift to maintain their working hours and at other times they may need to explore other treatment options that will make it easier for them to be a part of the workforce.

The Rehabilitation Services Administration recently released new training materials to educate vocational rehabilitation counselors on the employment potential of persons with chronic renal disease. These materials have been made available through the Rehabilitation Services Administration to state and regional vocational rehabilitation offices nationwide.

Effective Strategies for Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Chronic Kidney Disease, provides an overview of end-stage renal disease, dialysis options, as well as, recommendations for vocational rehabilitation intervention strategies including suggestions on actionable timelines.

It stresses the success of early intervention and promotes the goal of work force retention and the value of retraining. To learn more log onto: http://www.rcep6.org .

  • A copy of the booklet is available in PDF format: http://www.rcep6.org/IRI/27iri/IRI27.pdf (PDF, 537KB)
  • Print copies of the booklet are available. Costs: $7.00 ea. - 3 copies for $15.00 - 5 copies for $25.00 plus shipping. (Special bulk rates of 20 or more copies are available upon request at a discounted price.) ORDER FORM .
NHSN Dialysis Event Reporting for CMS ESRD QIP

-- PROJECT MANAGER Position Posting --

The Project Manager of ESRD Network 4, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will direct staff members in the ESRD Network 4 office in Pittsburgh, and report to the Executive Director of The Renal Network, Inc., in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Renal Network contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to oversee quality initiatives for chronic dialysis units in ESRD Network 4 (Pennsylvania and Delaware), ESRD Network 9 (Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky), and ESRD Network 10 (Illinois).

ESRD Network 4 is responsible for quality improvement in 272 outpatient dialysis units and 19 transplant centers in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Project Manager will work directly with representatives of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure that the CMS contract deliverables are met on a timely basis and that quality goals are achieved. The Project Manager ensures that requirements for the CMS-ESRD Network 4 contract are maintained, and is responsible for financial and program oversight. The Project Manager supervises a staff consisting of quality of care, data, and ESRD beneficiary relations managers as well as support staff. The position regularly interacts with and takes direction from the Board of Trustees, a Medical Review Board and various specialty committees of The Renal Network focused on improving the quality of end-stage renal disease care.

Applicants should have a background in nephrology and/or end-stage renal disease, a working knowledge of quality improvement principles, and management experience. An advanced degree in a health care related field is required. Knowledge of the federal End-Stage Renal Disease Network program and/or the Quality Improvement Organization Program is desired. Applicants should send an introductory letter and resume or curriculum vitae to: info@nw10.esrd.net.

-- CANNULATION CAMP --

Thursday, May 3, 2012
Willow Grove, PA
Giant Super Food Store
315 York Road
Willow Grove, PA 19090
(Conference room is located on the 2nd floor at the Community Center)

To register, download Brochure (format: PDF, size: 268 kb) or call 215-887-1122.

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Keep your sick kids home from school. Visit www.cdc.gov/h1n1 for more information.

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