Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicare,
quality-of-care, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996), and other information. The Office
of HIPAA Standards (866-282-0659) focuses on enforcement of HIPAA transaction and code set standards
and portability requirements. Their Dialysis
Facility Compare helps you locate and compare facilities, and their
ESRD Information Resource page consolidates information
for providers.
Don't miss the great wealth of renal resources, updated daily,
accessible through RenalWeb.
iKidney is another very useful website, with specific tabs for patients, family,
physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers, technicians, pharmacists, and administrators.
The Life Options Rehabilitation Program (800-468-7777) is
dedicated to helping people live long and live well with kidney disease. Excellent information is
available from their Kidney School. Both patients and
professionals can read about how to improve quality of life and quality of care, and share their own success
stories, on the Tips & Stories pages.
The goal of Home Dialysis Central is to make home dialysis more available to
all, and to create a clearinghouse of information about all home treatments for patients and professionals.
Life Options, Kidney School, and Home Dialysis Central are all creations of the
Medical Education Institute, whose
2004 Annual Report summarizes their many
activities.
The American Association of Kidney Patients (800-749-2257) strives to
improve the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical,
emotional, and social impact of kidney disease. They're recently expanded their
Patient Advocacy and Public Policy section.
The goal of the National Kidney Foundation (800-622-9010) is to
prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families
affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of organs for transplant. They manage the
K/DOQI Clinical Practice Guidelines program.
Here's an Executive
Summary of the Guidelines.
The American Kidney Fund (800-638-8299) serves people with and at risk
for kidney disease through direct financial assistance, comprehensive education, clinical research, and
community service programs.
The Kidney Patient Guide for Patients and Those Who Care for Them
is a British website that provides information for patients, partners and families, health care professionals, and
anyone else interested in kidney disease. It includes information and animations on how the kidneys function,
what happens when they don't, available treatments, and on emotional and social implications. The financial
sections would apply only in the UK.
Baxter's Renalinfo website offers information about kidney disease - causes,
symptoms, tests, and ideas to help maintain health and a comprehensive presentation of treatment choices.
Kidney Care Partners aims to involve patient advocates, care
professionals, providers, and suppliers in the effort to ensure that CKD patients receive optimum care and
are able to live quality lives, that dialysis is readily available to all those in need, and that research
leads to enhanced therapies.
The Renal Support Network strives to help chronic kidney disease patients develop
their personal coping skills, special talents, and employability by educating and empowering them and their family
members to take control of the course and management of the disease. Their
Patients Educating Patients and Professionals program trains
patient volunteers to speak at conferences and meetings.
The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (800-891-5390)
is a branch of the National Institutes of Health.
The American Diabetes Association is a nonprofit health organization providing
diabetes research, information and advocacy. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney disease.
The Medical Technology and Practice Patterns Institute researches the
"clinical, economic, and social implications of new and emerging health care technologies."
The American Nephrology Nurses Association is the largest professional
organization for nephrology nurses.
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Northwest
Renal Network
Links
to Resources
See also our For Patients,
For Clinical Staff,
News Bulletins,
Clinical Performance Measures, and
Job Postings pages.
Page updated July 3, 2008