By Brenda Dyson I have had a lot of wonderful experiences as AAKP’s President for the past six years and some of the most positive ones have come from representing patients on various committees and coalitions. Patients play an invaluable part in developing policies and guiding the direction that we want our healthcare to go. We are being asked more and more to step up to the plate and make our thoughts and wishes known. All of healthcare is turning in the direction of “Patient-Centered” care. We are being asked to call the shots. How fun is that! Often though, we are asked to serve on committees or coalitions that get off to a great start, but then never seem to get to the finish line. I knew when I accepted the position of representing AAKP as part of the Safe and Timely Immunization Coalition (STIC) that we would see the finish line. The Southeastern Kidney Council (ESRD Network 6) is coordinating the work of STIC. STIC is a national coalition comprised of healthcare professionals and patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The Coalition was formed in 2005 at the request of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase the rate of hepatitis B, influenza, and pneumococcal immunizations in patients and staff in the dialysis setting. In addition to AAKP, members include Network 11, Network 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fresenius Medical Care, DaVita, Dialysis Clinics Inc., Emory University, American Nephrology Nurses’ Association, National Association of Nephrology Technicians and Technologists, Health Systems Management, and several State Survey Agencies and Quality Improvement Organizations. The first meeting was held in August 2005. We were given an overview of the project and then divided into workgroups. Since that time the coalition has accomplished a great deal including: • Developing a resource guide of educational materials for dialysis patients and staff. This resource can be found on the Web at http://www.esrdnetwork6.org/PatientResources/STICBook.pdf. • Developing “Guidelines for Vaccinating Kidney Dialysis Patients and Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease” with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This resource can be found on the Web at http:// www.esrdnetwork6.org/PatientResources/ GuidelinesforVaccinating.pdf and on the CDC Web site. • Developing a power point presentation on the incidence, transmission, and nursing implications for pneumococcal disease, influenza and hepatitis B. American Nephrology Nurses Association approved the presentation for contact hours and included it in its “CE on Wheels” program. • Collecting data on dialysis facility beliefs, attitudes, and practice patterns related to immunizations from dialysis facilities in the 14 states served by ESRD Networks 6, 11 and 15. This data will allow the coalition to identify best practices and opportunities for improvement. The survey data are currently being compiled and will soon be released. • Collecting data on the vaccination rates among the facilities in the 14 states served by ESRD Networks 6, 11 and 15. Data is currently being compiled and will also soon be released. Reports with comparative data are being designed that will be sent to each facility involved in the data collection. • Presenting on STIC at the 2006 CMS/Forum of Networks’ Annual Meeting. Members of the Coalition are looking forward to the release of the results from the data collection before designing an intervention strategy to increase vaccination rates among dialysis patients. An evaluation of the resource guide and an awareness campaign are also being developed. I have enjoyed being involved in the STIC project because it gives me an opportunity to create opportunities for more dialysis patients to receive important vaccines that can save their life or prevent serious complications. Brenda Dyson is the Immediate Past President of AAKP. She is a transplant recipient and the Special Studies & Patient Services Coordinator for ESRD Network 8, Inc.
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