A new resource from Medical Education Institute (MEI) helps people understand how kidney disease treatment options may affect their lifestyle so they can choose the treatment that is right for them. Choosing My Future with Kidney Failure is a 28-page booklet that describes transplant, seven types of dialysis, hemodialysis access, conservative management, what to expect from a dialysis clinic, and how to talk about kidney disease with others. Booklets are $3 each, plus shipping and handling. (Bulk pricing and self-print licensing agreements also are available.)

Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) released the 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Released 4 years after the previous KDIGO guideline on this subject, the updated guideline addresses new evidence in several areas, including the role of additional direct-acting antiviral regimens in treating patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and CKD G1-G5 or CKD G5D, including kidney transplant recipients.

On October 31, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates payment policies and rates under the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for renal dialysis services furnished to beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2023. This rule also updates the acute kidney injury dialysis payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by ESRD facilities for calendar year 2023, updates requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and finalizes changes to the ESRD Treatment Choices Model.

March is National Kidney Month, and March 9 is World Kidney Day. World Kidney Day is a global campaign to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and associated health problems worldwide.

Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) released the 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Released 2 years after the first KDIGO guideline on this subject, the updated guideline applies to a broad population of patients with diabetes and CKD. The guideline addresses type 1 and type 2 diabetes and highlights differences in approach to management when appropriate. The short interval between guidelines reflects the rapid pace of advancement in the treatment of diabetes and CKD.

Nephrology Nurses Week is observed in September each year. In 2022, Nephrology Nurses Week was celebrated September 11-17. During this week and throughout the month of September, ANNA leaders and members were interviewed about the nephrology nursing specialty.

Nurse Alice interviews ANNA President-Elect Jennifer Payton about the nephrology nursing specialty, what it takes to become a nephrology nurse, and various career opportunities in nephrology nursing.

On October 3, 2022, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) released a consensus report addressing diabetes management in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The report provides direction for the implementation of care to improve clinical outcomes for people with diabetes and CKD. The organizations collaborated in areas of CKD screening and diagnosis, glycemia monitoring, lifestyle therapies, treatment goals, and pharmacologic management.

On October 3, 2022, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) released a new publication, National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, which calls for policy and systems changes to strengthen health workforce well-being and support the health of all communities.

The National Institutes of Health sponsored a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review the fairness, equity, transparency, and cost-effectiveness in the system of procuring, allocating, and distributing deceased donor organs.

Medical Education Institute (MEI) has released a new beta version of its treatment matcher tool for individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) that features all ESKD treatment options. MEI’s first treatment matcher tool, “My Life, My Dialysis Choice,” only included dialysis. The updated tool - now titled “My Kidney Life Plan” - includes additional treatment options such as transplant and comfort care. Currently, MEI is piloting the new tool and requesting feedback from users.