Leading Edge: Policy-Advocacy
A Legacy of Advancing Kidney Care: Remembering Patient Advocate Brian Hess
Brian Hess, a lifelong kidney advocate, passed away on December 3, 2020.
Despite being diagnosed with kidney disease at a young age and undergoing dialysis for the majority of his life, Brian refused to let kidney disease slow him down. Brian graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma while maintaining his dialysis regime.
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Giving Life to Kidney Transplants: A New Era in Care
Today the US Senate passed the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act, extending Medicare coverage of life saving immunosuppressive medications for the life of the kidney transplant. This welcome advance will take effect in 2023.
This tremendous advance results from countless hours of advocacy by ASN members and stakeholders throughout the kidney and transplant communities
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ASN Webinar: Key Components of the ESRD Treatment Choices Model
On Thursday, December 17 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm EST the American Society of Nephrology will host a webinar reviewing key components of the ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) Model (going into effect January 1, 2021).
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Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccination in Dialysis
Dialysis patients incur a greater burden of illness compared to the general population, and those dependent on maintenance dialysis are extremely vulnerable to the effects of infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, observe the authors of a recent article, “Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccination in Dialysis.”
To read the article, click here...
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Alexander Flannery, PharmD, FCCM, BCCCP, BCPS - 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Name: Alexander Flannery, PharmD, FCCM, BCCCP, BCPS
Institution: University of Kentucky
Grant: 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Project Title: Alternative Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) Activation and RAAS Therapeutics in Septic-Shock Associated Acute Kidney Injury
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Tessa Huffstater, M.Eng. - 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Name: Tessa Huffstater, M.Eng.
Institution: Vanderbilt University
Grant: 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Project Title: Inhibition of Cadherin-11 in Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
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Yan Xie, MPH - 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Name: Yan Xie, MPH
Institution: Veterans Research and Education Foundation at Saint Louis
Grant: 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Project Title: Comparative Effectiveness of Newer and Older Antihyperglycemic Medications in Chronic Kidney Disease
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Perspectives
Mariia Alibekova - 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Name: Mariia Alibekova
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Grant: 2020 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
Project Title: Elucidating the Role of Cell Microenvironment and Cell Differentiation Decisions in Kidney Organoid Heterogeneity Towards Better Models of Kidney Development and Disease
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Michael D. Donnan, MD - 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Name: Michael D. Donnan, MD
Institution: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Grant: 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Project Title: Defining the role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3 (VEGFR3) in the Fenestrated Microvascular Beds of the Kidney
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Perspectives
Yuvaram N.V. Reddy, MBBS - 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Name: Yuvaram N.V. Reddy, MBBS
Institution: Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital
Grant: 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Project Title: Novel Methods to Inform Health Care Policy in Home Dialysis
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Perspectives
Joshua Waitzman, MD, PhD - 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Name: Joshua Waitzman, MD, PhD
Institution: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Grant: 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Project Title: Structure and Molecular Mechanism of ApoL1
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
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Seolhyun Lee, MD - 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Name: Seolhyun Lee, MD
Institution: Stanford Hospital
Grant: 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Project Title: Improving Clearance of Protein-Bound Uremic Solutes with Sorbent Technologies
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
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Kyle McCracken, MD, PhD - 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Name: Kyle McCracken, MD, PhD
Institution: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital
Grant: 2020 Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
Project Title: Characterization and Manipulation of Proximal Tubule Development in Kidney Organoids
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Perspectives
Qinzhe Wang, PhD - 2020 Jared J. Grantham Research Fellowship
Name: Qinzhe Wang, PhD
Institution: The University of Utah
Grant: 2020 Jared J. Grantham Research Fellowship
Project Title: Cryo-EM Structures of Polycystic Kidney Disease Proteins
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
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ASN Announces 2020 Lifetime Achievement and Midcareer Awards
People who succeed in nephrology exemplify the best in all of us. They relish the intellectual rigor required to advance such a complex area of study and practice; they approach treatment and research challenges with creativity and tenacity, and work daily to enhance quality of life for millions. Most important, kidney professionals imbue their work with compassion and respect for the people whose lives they improve through research, education, and clinical excellence.
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In Practice
Making the Terms Used to Describe Kidney Health Work for Patients
Terminology commonly used by physicians to describe kidney health may be distressing or too difficult to understand for patients with kidney diseases, according to a recent study published in CJASN. The study, “Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Terms Used to Describe Kidney Health,” included 54 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 13 caregivers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
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In receiving Joint Accreditation status from ACCME, ASN will continue its exceptional commitment to education
On July 27, 2020, the governing bodies of Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Accreditation Program (ANCC) granted the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) with Joint Accreditation for 6 years.
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KidneyX Summit Announces Winners of the Redesign Dialysis Phase 2 Prize
Today, July 22nd, a virtual summit was hosted by KidneyX to announce the six winners of the Redesign Dialysis Phase 2 prize. The goal of the Redesign Dialysis prize is to provide prize money for novel ideas and innovations that will lead to better outcomes for people with kidney diseases and eventually to a truly artificial kidney.
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In Practice
New Nephrology and Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Training Programs Approved at Select US Universities
The Nephrology and Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellowship training programs of the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and the University of North Carolina have collaborated to create a combined 2-year training program through the ACGME’s Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) program.
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ASN Issues a Statement Against Racism
The following statement was released today:
Washington, DC (June 1, 2020)—The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is proud of its efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among kidney health professionals. This commitment is hollow, however, if ASN fails to oppose racism. ASN strongly supports and will advance efforts to achieve equality to reduce the adverse impact of racism, especially on health and in health care.
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Kidney News Announces Kenar D. Jhaveri, MD, FASN as New Editor-in-Chief
Kenar D. Jhaveri, MD, FASN, Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Associate Chief of the Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension at Northwell Health, NY, has been selected as Editor-in-Chief of ASN Kidney News.
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ASN Encourages Fellowship Programs to Conduct Interviews Remotely
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) recognizes that the current coronavirus pandemic has placed unique demands on frontline caregivers, necessitated restrictions on travel, and imposed limitations on individuals with various health conditions.
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Testimonials from Nephrology Nurses: Our Stories
May is National Nurses Month
Those who work in nephrology, or receives kidney care, understand that excellence of care depends directly upon the professionals who chose to become nephrology nurses.
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Making the Case for Change: Including People with Kidney Diseases in COVID-19 Trials
Clinical trials often exclude people with kidney diseases. This means that 37 million people in the United States are rarely represented in the kind of research that advances change in treatment and care.
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Weekly ASN Recap, May 11 - May 18: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
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Surviving COVID-19: Mental Health Support for Kidney Disease Professionals
On Thursday, May 14, 2020, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. EDT, ASN, ANNA, and NANT will present a webinar to examine the mental health challenges of kidney professionals practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore resources and techniques that will support their mental health
In Practice
Excerpt: Accelerating Technology Development During a Pandemic to Bring More People with Kidney Failure Home
The Coronavirus – 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is unmasking the shortcomings of in-center hemodialysis for people with kidney failure. Individuals with kidney failure who rely on in-center dialysis do not have the luxury of social distancing during a pandemic.
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Weekly ASN Recap, April 27-May 4: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
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Weekly ASN Recap, April 20-27: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
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Weekly ASN Recap, April 13-20: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
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ASN Journals: Special COVID-19 Features
COVID-19, a pandemic sweeping the world’s population, is particularly threatening to patients with kidney disease and to their caregivers. ASN publications - JASN, CJASN and Kidney360 - are working to provide valid, peer reviewed information as quickly as possible. This collection of COVID-19 articles is updated with new articles as soon as they are published.
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Catalyzing Patient Centered Device Innovation
Developments in the kidney community in recent years, including the KidneyX and the Advancing American Kidney Health initiative, have accelerated development of transformative devices for kidney replacement therapy.
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Weekly ASN Recap, April 5-11: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
On the Front Lines
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Weekly ASN Recap: COVID-19 Resources
The world is adjusting to the new and uncertain realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASN has worked tirelessly to address many of the important topics related to the changes. Please see below for many vital COVID-19 resources.
ASN Policy and Advocacy
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Conducting Clinical Trials During a Pandemic
The growing number of clinical trials the kidney community has enjoyed over the past few years is endangered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns over the safety of trial participants and investigators are paramount and are leading to rapid changes in the conduct of clinical trials.
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AKF Coronavirus Emergency Fund Provides Grants to Recent Kidney Transplant or Dialysis Patients
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) opened applications for the AKF Coronavirus Emergency Fund on March 23, 2020.
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Update released from ASN President Anupam Agarwal to all ASN members regarding COVID-19
On Friday, March 20, ASN President Anupam Agarwal, MD, FASN issued an email to all ASN members addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and how ASN is responding.
In Practice
Summary of ASN/NephJC Twitter Chat: COVID-19 and the Kidneys
Gretchen Brandt MD, FASN - Washington, DC
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American Board of Internal Medicine Update on COVID-19, Spring Assessments Cancelled
ABIM announced that they have cancelled all spring assessments. No physician will have their certification status negatively impacted due to this decision. Click here for ABIM updates on COVID-19. Please contact ABIM...
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New CJASN Paper Identifies End Points for Primary Hyperoxaluria Clinical Trials
While there are many incentives to invest in rare diseases, well designed clinical trials are critical to getting the new therapies conceived by pharmaceutical companies to the people who need them.
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American Society of Nephrology’s Response to COVID-19
With the current spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and due to the American Society of Nephrology’s international outreach representing 21,000 members in 131 countries, the organization has responded to the developments in the following ways in order to share important information with the nephrology community:
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Rare Disease Day 2020: A Unique Moment for Drug Development for Rare Kidney Diseases
Rare Disease Day on Saturday, February 29, is intended to raise awareness of the thousands of rare diseases and the millions of people who live with them around the world. There are more than 100 rare kidney diseases, most of them without US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved therapies. Because of the lack of innovation in novel therapies to treat rare kidney diseases, many people who live with them face the prospect of...
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New CDC-NTDS Online Learning Module: Managing Infection in an Outpatient Dialysis Facility
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety (NTDS) have partnered to develop a fresh, new online learning module, Managing Infection in an Outpatient Dialysis Facility.
The module is available to all members of the nephrology care team, including physicians, nurses, fellows, technicians, patients, and kidney educators, via an open-access platform.
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The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) announces competition to increase investigator community
"The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is seeking to appoint approximately 20 new Investigators through a national open competition. This effort will expand HHMI’s community of nearly 300 Investigators, who perform basic biological research across the nation."
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The Kidney Health Initiative Welcomes New FDA Commissioner
The Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) sent a congratulatory letter to Stephen Hahn, MD, on his recent confirmation as Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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ASN Communities Year in Review 2019
“We learn as we teach, and this is why I enjoy this forum so much”.
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ASN Preliminary Analysis Released on AY 2020 Nephrology Match Data
The appointment year 2020 nephrology Match results report was release by ASN on December 4th. Composed by Kurtis Pivert, MS (Candidate) ASN Data Science Officer, the report that the results of the AY 2020 nephrology Match were exactly flat compared with AY 2019 according to preliminary data from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
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Designing Clinical Trials for Innovative RRT Products: A New KHI Project
The Advancing American Kidney Health initiative made developing an artificial kidney a national priority.
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ASN Communities – A Unique Educational Asset
Members from over 180 countries continue to regularly engage in ASN Communities. In just three years, there have been almost 140,000 unique logins to the Communities. The educational value of Communities was recognized in 2019 by the Kidney Week program committee when they accepted a submission about the international and educational value of Communities. Members helping and supporting each other dealing with co
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In Practice
Fourth Annual NephJC Kidneys Awards Announces Winner of New CJASN NephJC Kidney Award for Best Visual Abstract 2019
The fourth annual NephJC Kidneys awards were hosted in Washington, DC on Friday, November 8 to coincide with ASN Kidney Week 2019. NephJC is an online medical journal club. They utilize social media and, in particular, the Twitter community to generate discussion and review current literature related to nephrology.
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In Practice
Biopsies the “Imperfect Gold Standard” for Diagnosing Post-Transplant Rejection
WASHINGTON, DC -- Biopsies remain the gold standard for diagnosing post-transplant kidney disease but they are imperfect, a speaker said here during Kidney Week 2019. Emerging biomarkers may provide a complement to helping nephrologists diagnose and manage disease.
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New Insights and Directions for 2019 Annual Nephrology Fellow Survey
Graduating nephrologists perceived improvements in job markets close to their training institutes, and an increasing majority of nephrology fellows would recommend the specialty. These are two of the key insights from an analysis of the 2019 ASN Nephrology Fellow Survey responses released on October 28, 2019. The report, 2019 Nephrology Fellow Survey—Results and Insights, authored by principal investigator Stephen M.
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In Practice
Three research scientists, including a nephrologist, awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for work with how cells sense and adapt to oxygen
Announced on October 7th, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was jointly awarded to a trio of scientists, William G. Kaelin Jr., Peter J. Ratcliffe, and Gregg L. Semenza, for their work on “how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability,” The New York Times reports.
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Interview with Dr. Michael Allon, editor-in-chief of Kidney360, on new ideas for the journal
Kidney News Online (KNO) recently spoke with Michael Allon, MD, the inaugural Editor-in-Chief for the newest journal from the American Society of Nephrology, Kidney360.
In Practice
KidneyX award recipient receives HHS contract to provide hemodialysis systems for disaster response
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a contract to a KidneyX award winner to provide hemodialysis systems in communities hit by natural disasters. The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response has stated it will be prepared to use the systems by the end of this year.
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In Practice
JASN Editor in Chief Josie Briggs, MD, Appointed Interim Executive Director of PCORI
On September 27th, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) announced the appointment of Josephine P. Briggs, MD, as PCORI’s Interim Executive Director, starting on November 1, 2019. Briggs will lead the organization during its search for a replacement for Joe Selby, MD, MPH, who announced plans to retire as Executive Director by year’s end. She will continue her work as JASN Editor-in-Chief during this time.
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FDA approves first new treatment in 20 years to treat diabetic kidney disease and reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure
The U.S. FDA has now approved INVOKANA® (canagliflozin) as the only type 2 diabetes (T2D) medicine indicated to treat diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure in patients with T2D and DKD. Approximately 1 in 3 patients with T2D also has DKD, which can ultimately lead to kidney failure.
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KHI Technology Roadmap for Innovative Approaches to Kidney Replacement Therapies
With the aid of patients, care partners, and multiple academic, private, and public communities, the Kidney Health Initiative’s newly developed technology roadmap is catalyzing innovative approaches to kidney replacement therapy (KRT). The roadmap provides guidance for innovators and entrepreneurs who are working to redesign dialysis and provide better care for those with kidney disease.
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New NephSAP Issue - "Chronic Kidney Disease and Progression"
NephSAP Volume 18, Number 4, September 2019
Chronic Kidney Disease and Progression
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Advancing Nephrology: Division Leaders Advise ASN
Asserting the value of nephrology
Physician productivity and compensation
Financial support of educational effort
Recruitment, retention, diversity and inclusion
Ensuring that Nephrology fellowship programs provide quality training in all aspects of kidney care
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American Society of Transplantation issues statement on Tacrolimus shortage
According to the statement released by the American Society of Transplantation (AST):
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ASN launches new initiative aiming to save lives of people suffering with acute kidney injury
Made possible by a grant from Baxter Healthcare Corporation, the effort called AKI!Now: Promoting Excellence in the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Kidney Injury, will aim to help people suffering from acute kidney injury (AKI).
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First CMS Webinar on Kidney Care First (KCF) and Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (CKCC) models
CMS Webinar: Voluntary Kidney Models - Overview
Learn details of the four new voluntary kidney payment models this Thursday, August 15 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. EDT.
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Making Scientific Presentations
Making great abstracts and posters, and presenting your studies so you hold your audience's interest -- some excellent resources for making your work stand out.
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Dr. Reshma Kewalramani named incoming president and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, former member ASN KHI Board of Directors
Announced July 25, Dr. Reshma Kewalramani will be promoted to president and CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. She is currently the chief medical officer for the company and was previously a practicing nephrologist who earned her medical doctorate at Boston University and trained at Bigham & Women’s Hospital.
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Infographic: New payment models proposed by Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative Executive Order
The President’s Executive Order, issued in conjunction with the Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative, calls for new payment models for kidney physicians. Here’s a brief rundown of how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation propose they would work.
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In Practice
KidneyX Patient Innovator Challenge: Kidney patients, care partners invited to submit ideas and innovations for national prize competition
The new prize competition seeks to identify ideas and solutions patients and care partners have developed to improve their daily life with kidney disease. The KidneyX Patient Innovator Challenge, funded by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) invited individuals, communities, businesses, institutions, and not-for-profit organizations, among others, to submit ideas on how to improve therapeutic options and quality for life for people living with...
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KNO speaks to Dr. Javier Neyra about the relaunch of the AKI Community
ASN Communities has relaunched the -AKI Community. To get a behind-the-scenes look at the decision to relaunch the AKI Community, as well as information on the Community Leaders that will be posting educational information and responding to your questions, Kidney News Online reached out to Dr.
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Seventh Annual KHI Stakeholders Meeting Recap Day 1
The Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) hosted its Seventh Annual Stakeholders Meeting May 29-30, in Washington DC. The annual meeting revolved around the theme of “Collaborating for Innovation to Improve Patient Care and Outcomes”.
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Seventh Annual KHI Stakeholders Meeting Recap Day 2
Session on Collaborating for Innovation to Support KidneyX
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National Kidney Foundation Building First-Ever Patient Registry for Chronic Kidney Disease
Announced this week, the NKF Patient Network “will create an interactive community of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients that link patient-entered data on their health history, outcomes and preferences with clinical and laboratory data obtained from electronic health records. This unique combination of data collected will enable individualized educational resources, research, clinical care and health policy decisions to be centered on the patient.”
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ASN announces the first Editor-In-Chief of Kidney360, a new online open access journal
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) today announced the appointment of Michael Allon, MD, as the first Editor-in-Chief of Kidney360, ASN’s new online journal launching in January 2020.
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New NephSAP Issue - "Acute Kidney Injury and Critical Care Nephrology"
NephSAP Volume 18, Number 2, May 2019
Please read the full issue.
Acute Kidney Injury and Critical Care Nephrology
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ASN Releases 2018 Annual Report
The 2018 American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Annual Report was released on April 29th, 2019. The report summarizes how ASN has progressed in its goal of leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professional and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients.
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2019 Global Kidney Health Atlas released at ISN Word Congress
The Atlas found that “by 2030, 14.5 million people around the world will have end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), yet only 5.4 million will be treated due to economic, social, and political factors. Additionally, more than 2 million people will die each year to due to little or no access to hemodialysis or kidney transplantation”.
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CMS: Open Payments Pre-publication Review and Dispute Now Available
Pre-publication review and dispute for the Program Year 2018 Open Payments data is available beginning today April 1, 2019 through May 15, 2019. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will publish the Open Payments Program Year 2018 data and updates to the previous program years’ data in June 2019
Physician and teaching hospital review of the data is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. Please keep in mind the following:
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In Case You Missed It: Top 20 Ways ASN is Increasing Interest in Nephrology Careers
March is National Kidney Month and to celebrate, Kidney News Online and In The Loop are highlighting the top 20 ways the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research are increasing interest in nephrology careers.
Together, ASN and the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research:
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CJASN Podcast: You have access Rates of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities in Patients with CKD and Diabetes
The newest episode of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) is hosted by Nazem Akoum, MD, MS, FACC, FHRS. He discusses the recent article he and his colleagues published in CJASN, entitled: “Rates of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities in Patients with CKD and Diabetes”.
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CEBM: What if the sensitivity or specificity is also not reported in for data extraction in meta-analysis
An article from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) was recently published entitled: “Tip for data extraction in meta-analysis – What if the sensitivity or specificity is also not reported”.
Author Kathy Taylor explains “how to deal with the less common case when a sensitivity or specificity is not reported” during data extraction for diagnostic accuracy studies.
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ASN and NIDDK initiatives to foster kidney research and investigators
Several initiatives have been implemented by NIDDK and ASN in order to foster kidney research and encourage research investigators as the NIH Division of Kidney, Urologic, & Hematologic Diseases (KUH) saw a 2% decrease in funding from the 2019 NIH budget.
This article includes a list of initiatives taken from an upcoming article in Kidney News March issue.
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In Practice
CNBC Report: New FDA-cleared, kidney disease early detection smartphone app
Outlined in a recent report from CNBC by Lori Ioannous (@Loriloannou1), chronic kidney disease is a “modern-day plague in the United States, driven in large part by the nation’s obesity epidemic”. 30 million Americans, or 1 in 9 adults, have chronic kidney disease, with diabetes and hypertension being major causes.
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In Practice
Study from UAB: acute kidney injury and kidney-resident macrophages
“Resident macrophages reprogram toward a developmental state after acute kidney injury” was published today, January 24th, in JCI Insight. The study with co-first authors and trainees in the NIH-funded UAB Medical Scientist Training Program, Jeremie M. Lever and Travis D.
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Kidney News Podcast on the Past and Future of the Kidney Health Initiative
In early December 2018, Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD, PhD, FASN, the outgoing American Society of Nephrology Co-Chair for KHI, and Raymond C. Harris, MD, FASN, who began his term as Co-Chair for KHI in 2019, recorded a discussion with ASN Executive Vice-President Tod Ibrahim.
In Practice
Meet the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research Grant Recipients
The following articles are brief Q&A sessions with American Society of Nephrology (ASN) grant recipients. The sessions explore what research the individual is undertaking with the grant funds, their hopes for the research, career goals, and advice for others interested in applying for these grant funds.
Past Recipient Profiles
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In Practice
"Diagnostic Utility of Exome Sequencing for Kidney Disease" from The New England Journal of Medicine
“Exome sequencing in a cohort of over 3,000 patients demonstrated genetic causes of chronic kidney disease in about 10% of cases and genetic testing may aid in the treatment of these patients”.
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JAMA study finds better health outcomes and lower mortality rate for undocumented immigrants with scheduled dialysis
JAMA Internal Medicine published findings this month that found when “compared with emergency-only dialysis, scheduled dialysis significantly reduced 1-year mortality, hospitalizations, and costs among undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
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In Practice
Recent JASN study: Hemodialysis linked with decline in cognitive function
In a recent study published by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), set out to examine the “immediate and longer-term effects of hemodialysis on cerebral circulation, cerebral structure, and cognitive function as they are currently poorly understood.
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Community-Minded: A Review of the ASN Communities for 2018
Three years ago, the ASN developed and released ASN Communities with the objective of creating an international venue to network, collaborate and discuss important issues in a members-only environment. Since the launch:
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Electronic health records (EMRs) linked to stress and physician burnout
A study was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) entitled, Physician stress and burnout: the impact of health information technology.
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Call to Action to Alleviate Symptoms for Dialysis Patients
While dialysis is a life-saving therapy for patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD), a variety of symptoms occur following treatment that significantly diminishes the quality of life of people living with kidney disease. A 2009 study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) reported that patients on maintenance dialysis experience 11 unique symptoms.
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“5 Tips for Understanding Data in Meta-Analyses”
Meta-analysis “is a group of statistical techniques that enable data from more than one study to be combined and analyzed as a new dataset”. As we are inundated with scientific studies of all kinds, meta-analysis can be a useful technique to better understand comparisons of findings from data. However, it can be a confusing technique at first glance, so the author has delved into five tips to better understand the conclusions from meta-analysis.
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ASN Appoints New Co-Chair for the Kidney Health Initiative
The American Society Nephrology (ASN) is pleased to announce that Raymond C. Harris, MD, FASN, has been selected as the incoming ASN Co-Chair for the Kidney Health Initiative (KHI). Dr.
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ASN Releases 2018 Nephrology Fellow Survey Report
A new analysis finds leading indicators point to an improving job market and rising salaries for nephrologists entering practice. ASN released the analysis of the society’s annual survey of nephrology fellows in training—Report on the Survey of 2018 Nephrology Fellows—authored by George Washington University researchers.
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New NephSAP Issue - "Secondary Glomerular Diseases"
NephSAP Volume 17, Number 4, September 2018
Please read the full issue.
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Redesign of Online ASN Journals Ready to Improve User Experience
The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) and the Clinical Journal of American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) online platforms have been relaunched with increased functionality and a new interface providing readers with an on-the-go experience designed for all devices.
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Google’s new Dataset Search aims to assist researchers find online data
Google’s launch of Dataset Search on September 5 is a great step forward for researchers in search of data online that is “freely available to use”. Aimed at “scientists, data journalists, data geeks, or anyone else” the new service will provide a service that assists the open-data movement by providing a simpler way to find and re-use data from “government agencies, scientific publishers, research institutions and even individual researchers”.
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Opinion: Re-establishing trust and improving outcomes in Nephrology
To re-establish trust and improve outcomes, we must carry health equity from “the bedside to the curbside.” From research and discovery, to policy and advocacy, nephrologists must engage directly with community members, stakeholders, and lawmakers. Minority communities need to see nephrologists in their schools, houses of worship, block parties, and community centers.
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Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are gaining traction
Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNS) are increasingly being used by researchers and scientists. “ELNs comprise software that helps researchers to document experiments, and that often has features such as protocol templates, collaboration tools, support for electronic signatures and the ability to manage the lab inventory".
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5 Things Physicians and Patients Should Question in Pediatric Nephrology - The Choose Wisely Campaign
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in conjunction with the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), as part of the Choosing Wisely® campaign, recently “released a list of specific nephrology tests and procedures that are commonly ordered but not always necessary when treating children for kidney-related conditions”.
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Catalogue on research metrics
The article provides a unique catalogue of useful articles for guidance and support for researchers, journal editors, and librarians as well as overarching tips for better selecting where to publish your research, how best to edit a journal, and how to guide colleagues as a librarian.
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Data Visualizations: Considering color choices
Lisa Charlotte Rost delves into what you should consider when choosing colors for data visualization. With the powerful potential of visualizations in relaying conclusions within a short burst of attention, color choices can make or break their effectiveness.
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A Call for Kidney Week Abstract Submissions
Only two weeks left to submit your research or clinical case report for the 2018 Kidney Week, the largest nephrology meeting in the world.
Submission will be accepted through 2:00 PM EDT on May 31.
Don't miss this valuable opportunity to present to nephrologists and thought leaders in the field from around the globe.
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Catalog of Biases in health studies
The culmination of collaborative work between the Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine and the University of Oxford, the website, Catalogue of Biases, is a complete database of possible biases that inadvertently make their way into scientific research.
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Donald W. Seldin, who built UT Southwestern into a medical powerhouse, dies at 97
His innovations included an approach to medicine that placed an equal emphasis on medical research, teaching and the treatment of patients — a tripartite method that “wasn’t obvious to a lot of people at the time,” Braunwald said.
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How to Design an Award-Winning Conference Poster
In this humorous piece by Dr. Tullio Rossi, How to Design an Award-Winning Conference Poster, a conference poster is described as being two things simultaneously: a networking tool and a communication tool.
The poster should attract people’s attention and serve as a conversation starter. It should also be accessible and drive attention to your research. “A scientific poster is simply a visual abstract”.
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CVS Health announces a new initiative focused on kidney care and home dialysis treatment
On April 4th, 2018, CVS Health “announced a new initiative focused on chronic kidney disease and dialysis, which builds upon the company's focus on driving innovation in the management of chronic disease to help improve patient health outcomes while managing costs. This new program will focus on early identification of kidney disease and expansion of home dialysis in order to optimize care for patients with chronic kidney disease. CVS Health's unique enterprise assets along with...
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Which statistical tests should I use?
In a piece published by Evidence-Based Nursing, Allison Shorten and Brett Shorten describe different research scenarios and detail which statistical tests may be the most appropriate for the researchers to utilize.
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New NephSAP Issue - "Hypertension"
NephSAP Volume 17, Number 1, March 2018
Find the full issue here.
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In Practice
Outside ASN: Nigeria addressing rising cases and high cost of treating CKD
"Nigeria, on March 8, joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Kidney Day (WKD). A day set aside to raise awareness on the plight of people living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and how to better prevent, treat and manage 'the disease'".
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In Practice
NY Times: The Challenge of Doctor-Patient Relations in the Internet Age
A recent article by Doris Iarovicic, a psychiatrist at Hardvard University's Counseling and Mental Health Services, details her experience with patients who prefer the "expertise" of the digital world to the expertise of in-person physicians.
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In Practice
Fewer international doctors seeking U.S. jobs – potentially due to ongoing immigration shakeup
National healthcare recruiting company The Medicus Firm said it placed the lowest percentage of internationally trained physicians in 2017 in at least seven years. The percentage of internationally trained physicians placed by Medicus dropped to 24%, down seven points from nearly 32% in 2016, according to the report.
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In Practice
Kidney Health Initiative (KHI): Prioritizing Symptoms of ESRD Patients for Developing Therapeutic Interventions workshop
The “Prioritizing Symptoms of ESRD Patients for Developing Therapeutic Interventions” workshop took place from January 8th through January 10th in Washington, DC. The meeting convened various stakeholders, including patients and care givers. Discussion centered around three symptoms of ESRD that were identified as priorities through previous patient focus groups: Fatigue, Insomnia, and Muscle Cramps.
The goal of the meeting was to:
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NY Times: Diabetes in Pregnancy Raises Risk of Heart Disease
The women who had gestational diabetes were 20 times as likely as controls to develop Type 2 diabetes, consistent with previous studies, and the risk was highest in the first year after giving birth. In addition, these women were 2.8 times as likely to have heart disease, and nearly twice as likely to develop high blood pressure. The researchers controlled for age, body mass index, ethnicity, smoking and other variables.
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PLOS Blogs: 6 tips for deciphering outcomes in health studies
As studies published become more convoluted with jargon and specific measurement techniques that can be confusing and/or misleading, it’s important to be able to get down to the measured outcomes quickly and with clarity.
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Negotiating for Leadership Success
This past spring, ASN joined with Women in Nephrology (WIN) to develop a series of webinars designed to help you advance your career. In one of these presentations, Dr. Yasmin Davidds, Psy. D, M.C.C., and CEO of the Women’s Institute of Negotiation, provides advice on negotiating for leadership success.
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FDA approved new type II diabetes drug
The new drug, developed by Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc., is an oral drug known generically as ertugliflozin and in the class of SGLT2 inhibitors, which work to expel excess glucose through urine.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug early this week. The drug is expected to be available for sale in early 2018.
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ASN Data Bytes: AY 2018 Nephrology Match - Déjà vu all over again
December 6th was Match Day for nephrology, with overall results closely mirroring those from last year. A total of 285 of the 474 positions offered for appointment year (AY) 2018 were filled in the nephrology Match, part of the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP’s) Medical Specialties Matching Program.
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Outside ASN: Designing ‘attention points’ in academic work
Professor Patrick Dunleavy at the London School of Economics writes about “four principles for improving how you display tables, graphs, charts and diagrams” in academic or scientific research.
The four principles include:
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Reminder: PQRS Physician Compare 30-day preview period ends Friday, December 1 at 8pm ET
"The Physician Compare 30-day preview period ends this Friday, December 1, 2017 at 8 pm ET. Don’t miss your chance to preview your 2016 performance data before it is publicly reported on Physician Compare profile pages later this year and in the Physician Compare Downloadable Database.
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New NephSAP issue - "Transplantation"
NephSAP Volume 16, Number 4, November 2017
Find the full issue here.
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Resources
Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) to be added to Medicare benefits in 2018
The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) expanded model is a structured behavior change intervention that aims to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes among Medicare beneficiaries with an indication of prediabetes.
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New tool, HIPAA Alliance Marketplace, helps find HIPAA compliant business associates
"Healthcare organizations are only permitted to use business associates that agree to comply with HIPAA Rules and sign a business associate agreement, but finding HIPAA compliant business associates can be a challenge.
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In Practice
Inside the UCLA voucher program that is overcoming chronological incompatibility and saving lives
The UCLA Kidney Transplant Program started a voucher program in 2014 which has already proven its utility and saved 25 lives. “The program works like this: The voucher donor gives a kidney to a stranger on dialysis. Often that recipient had a friend or family member who had wanted to be a donor but couldn’t due to incompatibility.
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Conducting Trials in Nephrology: Challenges and Conclusions
"The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) group convened a meeting of stakeholders in September 2016 to identify challenges and make recommendations to improve trial data in nephrology[1] Their conclusions were made public nearly 8 months later and are briefly reported in the full article on Medscape".
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American Heart Association (AHA) to announce 130/80 mm Hg as new BP guideline
It’s been revealed ahead of the November announcement at the American Heart Association (AHA) in Anaheim, that the new guideline for blood pressure target will be 130/80 mm Hg.
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The Undifferentiated Medical Student: 2 recent podcasts on Nephrology
The Undifferentiated Medical Student is a podcast started in November 2016 with the goal of “doing interviews with one physician from each of the 120+ specialties and subspecialties listed on the AAMC’s Careers in Medicine website” in order to empower medical school students to think about choosing their specialty and planning their careers.
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Comments and advice on how to read a journal’s rejection letter
Stephen Heard, an evolutionary ecologist and entomologist at the University of New Brunswick and previously faculty at the University of Iowa, recently published a short blog detailing how best to read and react to a rejection letter after submitting your work to a journal.
Click here if you’d like to read the full blog.
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New NephSAP issue - "Chronic Kidney Disease and Progression"
NephSAP Volume 16, Number 3, September 2017
Find the full issue here.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Progression
Over 20 million people in the U.S. have CKD stages 1-5, and costs for advanced CKD exceed $47 billion annually. The 2017 Chronic Kidney Disease issue of NephSAP guides readers through the latest advances in clinical research for this...
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Targeting Zero Infections: Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) and Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Dialysis Facility
Registration is now open for the second webinar in the Nephrologists...
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In Practice
Join the conversation on Hurricane Harvey
To join the conversation on the affects of Hurricane Harvey on dialysis and kidney care, please sign in and see the "Supporting our Texas Colleagues" forum on ASN Communities. Share your experience and knowledge with peers.
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In Practice
JAMA: "Risk factors for Melanoma in renal transplant recipients"
An original investigation published online by JAMA Dermatology on July 26, 2017 found that "renal transplant recipients had greater risk of developing melanoma compared with their non-renal transplant counterparts. Risk factors for developing melanoma included older, age, male sex, recipient white race, living donors, sirolimus therapy, and cyclosporine therapy".
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In Practice
Quality Payment Program Hardship Exception Application for the 2017 Transition Year Is Now Open
Clinicians can now submit Quality Payment Program Hardship Exception Applications
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7 CRISPR projects in US receive $65 million total funding from DARPA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced $65 million in funding on July 19th, 2017 to seven projects in the US to further improve safety and accuracy of gene editing.
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HHS Office for Civil Rights warns of potential risks with file sharing, HIPAA
“The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has recently issued a reminder to covered entities and business associates of the potential risks associated with file sharing and collaboration tools, explaining the risks these services can introduce and how covered entities can use these services and remain in compliance with HIPAA Rules”.
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MACRA Resources: What Physicians Need to Know
In April 2015, the the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) was signed into law, repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) physician payment system. In April of 2016, HHS Issued a Proposed Rule. In October of 2016, CMS Issued a Final Rule. Below are some resources to help you understand more about MACRA.
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CMS Released Proposed Rule, Quality Payment Program (QPP) for 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Quality Payment Program (QPP) proposed rule for 2018 on Tuesday, June 20. While we are only beginning to go through the proposed rule, all 1,058 pages, it does appear that CMS is concerned about the burden of participating in the program on small practices leading to a significant proposed rise in the low-volume threshold.
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NIH Launches Next Generation Researchers Initiative
As a result, NIH has shifted its strategy to support early and mid-career investigators by launching the Next Generation Researchers Initiative. This new program will go into effect immediately.
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VA Center for Innovation Releases Broad Agency Announcement for Funding Pioneering Kidney Projects
Building upon momentum from the Kidney Innovation Summit hosted earlier this year by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), along with support from the American Society of Nephrology, the VA Center for Innovation (VACI) released a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) this week designed to source and fund early stage research, development, prototyping, and piloting of pioneering ideas in the kidney space.
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Open Payments Physician and Teaching Hospital Review and Dispute Period Ends Next Week
Physicians and teaching hospitals have until May 15, 2017 to review data reported by drug and medical device makers about them and, if necessary, dispute the payments before the data is made public on June 30, 2017.
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JASN - Gene Editing: Powerful New Tools for Nephrology Research and Therapy
In the October 2016 issue of JASN the following article was published focused on new technology, especially the CRISPR/Cas system, and how it may be used for nephrology research and therapy.
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Gene Editing Technology
Check out the resources on gene editing: background, pros and cons, potential clinical applications.
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ASN Data Bytes: Academics Offer Diverging Opinions on Nephrology Procedures
A recent ASN Flash Poll found differing opinions among academic nephrologists over procedures, specifically catheter placements and kidney biopsies. Stewart Lecker, MD, PhD, on behalf of the ASN Workforce and Training Committee, developed the survey to capture current perspectives on procedural competence among training program directors (TPDs), associate TPDs (APDs), and division chiefs.
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Resources for Authors: Writing Well, Navigating Peer Review
Set yourself and your work up for success: tell the story well, and choose the right journal.
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Physician Contract Negotiation
Physician protect thyself: whether negotiating a first-time contract or renegotiating or amending a contract -- make sure you're informed in advance.
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On Site at Kidney Week
Check out these photos from Kidney Week, including some of the things you may not know about, or may have missed.
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NTDS Town Hall Generates Interest at Kidney Week
Thursday's Town Hall meeting on the new Nephrologists Transforming Dialysis Safety (NTDS) project drew a lot of interest and some great questions.
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ASN Kidney Week 2016
ASN Kidney Week 2016: participants from more than 115 countries, coming together to advance care and research.
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Physician Reentry
Physicians reentering the resource face challenges; resources to help them are expanding.
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Clinical Research
Kidney News Online has compiled a list of clinical research resources that may be useful to you.
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Telehealth Resources
Treatment, research and practice are being profoundly changed by a wide range of technological advances. Below are some resources to help kidney professionals consider the ramifications of this rapidly moving field. Send suggestions for other resources to info@kidneynews.org, as well as topics in telehealth you would like to know more about.
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Directory of State Medical and Osteopathic Boards
From the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB): http://www.fsmb.org/state-medical-boards/contacts
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ICD 10 Resources
Pain free implementation? Challenges? Suggest other resources that may be useful to your colleagues, or send in your thoughts and observations about ICD 10 implementation. (info@kidneynews.org)
CMS ICD 10 Coordination Center: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/ICD10OmbudsmanandICD10CoordinationCenterICC.html
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Communities at ASN
ASN Communities offer multiple opportunities to connect with colleagues working in the areas that interest you most. Check out this rapidly growing and dynamic ASN initiative here.
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Nephrology Fellowship Match Resources
Training the next generation of nephrologists is exciting and vital to advancing care for millions of people with kidney diseases. ASN sponsors the Nephrology Match and provides information for applicants and programs here.
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Nephrology Workforce
ASN and researchers at the George Washington University Health Workforce Institute continue to break ground analyzing trends and key factors.
Detailed workforce analyses and fellows' surveys are available here: http://www.asn-online.org/workforce/
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