Due to many complex reasons, the cost of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) care in the U.S. is much higher than in other industrial nations. One reason for this is the relatively low rates of in-home dialysis and transplantation in this country. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),[1] transplantation and in-home dialysis are often preferred by both providers and patients, but have been used far less in the U.S. than in other developed nations in recent years. Despite the higher cost of ESRD care in the U.S., patients in this country are not enjoying commensurately better outcomes.
When employed, home dialysis is often considerably more popular with ESRD patients, being more comfortable, convenient, and requiring far less travel to and from a dialysis facility. Additionally, home dialysis also eliminates a major barrier to care for older individuals, for whom traveling to an in-center dialysis facility can be a significant obstacle. Lastly, patients dialyzing at home tend to experience fewer hospitalizations, which contributes to the cost-effectiveness of this modality.
Recognizing this, CMS developed the ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) payment model, to incentivize home dialysis and other options as part of their push from fee-for-service to fee-for-value care. The ETC model is outlined in greater detail on CMS’s website.
How can your organization make this essential transition? Reach out to Healthmap Solutions.
Our innovative Kidney Health Management program is designed to educate patients with ESRD on the different dialysis options, with an emphasis on home dialysis as appropriate. The program’s management tools support close collaboration between patients, primary care providers, nephrologists, other specialists, and Healthmap’s multidisciplinary clinical team, enabling us to assist in the process of customizing dialysis plans to the individual. Keeping in mind that kidney transplant is standard of care, Healthmap’s program also promotes kidney transplant evaluation and support.
With Healthmap, providers can tap into an interconnected, comprehensive approach that reduces the financial strain on all parties and ensures that patients have access to the right treatment options at the right time.
To learn more about how Healthmap can support providers to deliver optimal results for patients, contact us today at (877) 546-7004.
[1] https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/esrd-treatment-choices-model
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