If anyone wishes informtion posted here concerning dialysis services related to Hurricane Katrina, either call 508 303-8101 or e-mail renalweb@renalweb.com.

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Click here for the RenalWEB news summary page of Hurricane Katrina coverage August 29-September 9.

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28 Louisiana Facilities Still Closed

September 22, 2005 - 28 of the 145 dialysis facilities in Louisiana remain closed 24 days after Hurricane Katrina passed through the New Orleans area.

Latest information, as of September 21, from ESRD Network #13 (Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and web site.

TULANE HOSPITAL/CLINICS-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
VA MEDICAL CTR-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
DAVITA-WESTBANK CHRONIC RENAL CTR NEW ORLEANS
CHALMETTE DIALYSIS CTR CHALMETTE
FMCNA- EAST NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS
DAVITA-TRI-PARISH CHRONIC RENAL CTR NEW ORLEANS
RCG-OCHSNER- NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS
BIENVILLE DIALYSIS CTR NORTH NEW ORLEANS
DAVITA-NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NAPOLEON NEW ORLEANS
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-GRETNA GRETNA
DCI-TULANE-NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NEW ORLEANS UPTOWN NEW ORLEANS
DCI-WESTBANK-GRETNA GRETNA
DAVITA-CRESCENT CITY DIALYSIS CTR NEW ORLEANS
FMCNA-CENTRAL NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS
DAVITA-MEMORIAL DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-CHALMETTE CHALMETTE
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NOE NEW ORLEANS
DCI-NEW ORLEANS EAST NEW ORLEANS
INDEPENDENT DIALYSIS SERVICES NEW ORLEANS
FMCNA-CHALMETTE CHALMETTE
DAVITA-ORLEANS METROPOLITAN DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
A-PLUS DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
EAST ORLEANS DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS
RCG - WESTBANK MARRERO
DAVITA - NEW ORLEANS EAST NEW ORLEANS
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS

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US Department of HHS Help Line Phone Numbers

September 21, 2005 - Please see the PDF poster listed below from the US Department of Health and Human Services with help line phone numbers for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. These should be distributed as widely as possible to your program contacts, community partners and other individuals/groups providing assistance to the evacuees.

The poster includes national numbers, and state-specific numbers contained in the drop-down boxes on the following benefits and services:

Mental Health Hotline (national 1-800 number)
Head Start Services (national 1-800 number)
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families--state specific number)
SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance
Program--state-specific number)
Elder Care (national 1-800 number)
Medicare (national 1-800 number)
Medicaid (state-specific number)
www.hhs.gov web address

It prints well in color or black and white, and it's regular paper size is 8 1/2 x 11. Note that the poster should be customized, using the drop-down options, for the applicable state. Also attached is a brief description on how to operate the drop down menu that will create a poster for each individual state.

HelpIsOnline050915.pdf and PosterInstructions.doc

Thank you in advance for distributing this information--you are vital to our benefits and services reaching the people we need to help.

Melissa Scarborough, MPH, CHES
Provider Outreach Specialist
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
1301 Young Street, Suite 827
Dallas, Texas 75202
Phone: 214-767-4407
Fax: 214-767-0323

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Over 30 Dialysis Facilities Remain Closed After Katrina

September 20, 2005 - Latest information (Sept. 19, 7:15 pm) from the eSOURCE/SIMS Project (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and (web site).

Closed Louisiana Facilities - 28

See updated list above.

Closed Mississippi Facilities - 3
FMC GULFPORT S. MS KIDNEY CTR GULFPORT MS
FMC BAY ST LOUIS S. MS KIDNEY CTR BAY ST. LOUIS MS
FMC D IBERVILLE S. MS KIDNEY CTR DIBERVILLE MS

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FDA's Advice on Reopening Dialysis Clinics after Hurricanes

September 15, 2005 - This FDA document gives recommendations to follow before reopening dialysis clinics after a period of time without power or water.

Before reopening a dialysis clinic, the FDA suggests that each component be checked using these guidelines for the following components:

I. Water Treatment Systems
II. Dialysis Machines
III. Filters (Dialyzers) and Tubing
IV. Dialysate and Dialysate Mixing Systems
V. Home Hemodialysis Systems
VI. Additional Information

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Message from ANNA President

September 15, 2005 - To date, the Volunteer Dialysis Staff Database being maintained by ANNA has 109 individuals listed from 38 states. Our database reflects that many of these volunteers are willing to do any activity needed. These volunteers have been advised that they would be responsible for travel to their assigned location.

To date, we have only had 2 providers who have identified needs and requested the volunteer database. If you have need for volunteers, please complete this form and fax to ANNA or contact me via e-mail or phone (see below). ANNA will then send you the most current database and discuss other ways that ANNA may be able to facilitate matching volunteers with facility needs.

Following are the volunteer types and number of responses (in parenthesis):

Administrative Assistants (1)
Biomedical Technicians (10)
Dietitians (3)
LVN/LPN (7)
Nurse Practioners (7)
Patient Care Technicians (27)
Registered Nurses (30)
Registered Nurses with Acute experience (4)
Registered Nurses with Administrative/Management experience (9)
Registered Nurses with Peritoneal Dialysis experience (2)
Social Workers (7)

Suzann VanBuskirk, BSN, RN, CNN
President - American Nephrology Nurses Association
home office - 410-620-7397
home office fax - 410-620-7398

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Closed Dialysis Facilities as of Sept. 14

September 15, 2005 - Latest information (Sept. 14, 6:17 pm) from the eSOURCE/SIMS Project (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and (web site).

Closed Louisiana Facilities - 32

See updated list above.

Closed Mississippi Facilities - 5

See updated list above.

Closed Alabama Facilities
FMC - PORT CITY DIALYSIS MOBILE AL

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CMS Comments on "Missing" Dialysis Patients

September 14, 2005 - Tony Salters, a CMS Public Affairs Specialist in Region 6 (Dallas), has copied RenalWEB on an e-mail dated September 13th sent to Janet St. James, a reporter with Texas station WFAA-TV. Ms. St. James had reported that many dialysis patients in the New Orleans area were still unaccounted for as of late last week, approximately 10 days after Hurricane Katrina.

Excerpt from e-mail:

"The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) believes that people with and without federal benefits are receiving dialysis treatments in facilites in TX cities and in other states. While we don't have a number of unlocated patients yet--we know that there were about 2430 dialysis patients who were cared for in facilities recently closed in the Greater New Orleans area due to Hurricane Katrina.

Many patients were relocated to other Gulf Coast areas, (MS & AL) and other states -- from Colorado to Oregon. The ESRD Networks are working with the independent units as well and large dialysis organizations across the nation to tally all displaced patients and compare these names with patients formerly cared for in the closed NOLA facilities. In all cases, CMS nurses and renal network contractors are offering care first and documenting eligibility second in order to ensure health care services are offered both timely and to eliminate/remove any "government red tape" on processes previously required to verify eligibility and access guidelines.

As an FYI, attached is a CMS facts sheet and Secretary Michael Leavitt's recent message on the "special evacuee status" extended to all people that are survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Also, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and TX Congressman Gene Green are offering legislation to further support the special evacuee status for displaced Gulf Coast area residents. (NYTimes).

I'll know more on the status of dialysis patients identified later this week. We have no data leading us to believe there are 3000 dialysis patients unaccounted for at this time. I'll pass the word on to the folks that contacted us."

"Secretary Leavitt Tours Gulf Region; Announces Streamlined Access to Benefits for Hurricane Katrina Victims" - Sept. 13 CMS News Release

"Fact Sheet: CMS Actions to Help Beneficiaries, Providers in Katrina Stricken Areas" - CMS Fact Sheet dated September 6th.

"Dialysis centers worried about lack of patients" - Sept. 9 news item from WFAA-TV reporter Janet St. James (registration required, but free)

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Resource Information Updates for Dialysis Patients Affected by Hurricane Katrina

September 13, 2005 - Two ESRD Network organizations have compiled a wealth of resource information for ESRD patients and providers, as well as the general public:

ESRD Network 13 (AR/LA/OK): http://www.network13.org/

ESRD Network 14 (TX): http://www.esrdnetwork.org/hurricane_emergency_info.htm

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Update on Closed Dialysis Facilities

September 13, 2005 - Latest information, as of September 13, from ESRD Network #13 (Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and web site.

Closed Louisiana Dialysis Faciliites - 31

TULANE HOSPITAL/CLINICS-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
VA MEDICAL CTR-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-WESTBANK CHRONIC RENAL CTR NEW ORLEANS LA
CHALMETTE DIALYSIS CTR CHALMETTE LA
FMCNA- EAST NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-TRI-PARISH CHRONIC RENAL CTR NEW ORLEANS LA
RCG-OCHSNER- NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS LA
BIENVILLE DIALYSIS CTR NORTH NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-SLIDELL KIDNEY CARE SLIDELL LA
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NAPOLEON NEW ORLEANS LA
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-GRETNA GRETNA LA
DCI-TULANE-NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS LA
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NEW ORLEANS UPTOWN NEW ORLEANS LA
DCI-WESTBANK-GRETNA GRETNA LA
DAVITA-CRESCENT CITY DIALYSIS CTR NEW ORLEANS LA
FMCNA-CENTRAL NEW ORLEANS NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-KENNER REG DIALYSIS KENNER LA
DAVITA-MEMORIAL DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-CHALMETTE CHALMETTE LA
GAMBRO HEALTHCARE-NOE NEW ORLEANS LA
DCI-NEW ORLEANS EAST NEW ORLEANS LA
INDEPENDENT DIALYSIS SERVICES NEW ORLEANS LA
FMCNA-CHALMETTE CHALMETTE LA
DAVITA-ORLEANS METROPOLITAN DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
A-PLUS DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
EAST ORLEANS DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA
DAVITA-TRINITY KIDNEY CARE SLIDELL LA
RCG - WESTBANK MARRERO LA
DAVITA - NEW ORLEANS EAST NEW ORLEANS LA
CHILDRENS HOSPITAL-DIALYSIS NEW ORLEANS LA

Latest information (Sept. 13, 9:52 am) from the eSOURCE/SIMS Project (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and (web site).

Closed Mississippi Dialysis Faciltities - 7

GAMBRO HEALTHCARE - OCEAN SPRINGS OCEAN SPRINGS MS
FMC GULFPORT S. MS KIDNEY CTR GULFPORT MS
FMC BILOXI S. MS KIDNEY CTR BILOXI MS
FMC BAY ST LOUIS S. MS KIDNEY CTR BAY ST. LOUIS MS
TYLERTOWN DIALYSIS UNIT TYLERTOWN MS
FMC NORTH GULFPORT S. MS KIDNEY CTR GULFPORT MS
FMC D IBERVILLE S. MS KIDNEY CTR DIBERVILLE MS


Closed Alabama Dialysis Facilities

FMC - PORT CITY DIALYSIS MOBILE AL

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Bring Water Systems Back Up

September 12, 2005 - This message and document has been posted on the Hurricane Relief LISTSERV:

Attached is a DRAFT document (WORD document) with recommendations on how to bring up a dialysis water treatment system after a dialysis facility has been closed for an extended period of time due to Katrina.

It was developed by representatives from CDC, AAMI, FDA, CMS, NANT and Network 16 and should be posted on various websites later this week, after we have had an opportunity to send it up the organizational chain(s) of command.

With the anticipation of facilities coming back on line early this week, we felt it was important to get this information out in draft form now so that there was some guidance information available.

Jim Curtis
QI Consultant
Northwest Renal Network
503.490.2948

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Spreadsheets for Status of Dialysis Facilities

Latest information from the eSOURCE/SIMS Project (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and (web site).

Latest information from ESRD Network #13 (Louisiana facilities) spreadsheet and web site.