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End stage renal disease (ESRD)
Masspro is pleased to support the “Fistula First” initiative created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in partnership with ESRD (end-stage renal disease) Networks, the renal community, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Fistula First aims to significantly increase the use of arterial venous fistulas (AVF) for hemodialysis access by engaging hospitals, nephrologists, vascular surgeons, dialysis facilities, primary care physicians, and patients to change practice. The initiative also seeks to avoid vascular access complications through appropriate monitoring and intervention.
There are over 300,000 patients on dialysis in the United States, 5,000 in Massachusetts. Statistics show that only about 30% of patients dialyze using an AVF. This number gains significance when put into the context that vascular access complications are the major cause of hospitalizations, morbidity, and mortality in the dialysis population. AVFs can help decrease these negative complications and outcomes.
Specifically, Masspro will partner with the ESRD Network of New England to offer educational programs targeted to acute care hospitals, primary care physicians, nephrologists, and vascular surgeons, and will further disseminate information about Fistula First during its quality improvement initiatives that span the health care continuum.
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