EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Helping Patients & Providers

Chronic dialysis facilities and patients are usually not included in state and local disaster plans and must therefore plan for their own survival. Because dialysis facilities provide life-sustaining treatment to patients with renal failure, it is imperative that they be as prepared as possible in the event of an emergency. Patients should likewise prepare themselves for emergency situations that may prevent them from getting to their dialysis treatment.  Providers and patients can find helpful emergency planning and preparedness resources below.

Quality Insights’ Role

Quality Insights can assist individuals and providers/facilities in planning for an emergency or disaster by providing resources and direction to agencies that specialize in emergency planning and response.

During emergencies, we will provide the following services:

• Track and make available the open and closed status of facilities in affected areas

• Assist patients and facilities in identifying dialysis facilities that can provide ESRD services

• Assist family members and treating facilities in determining the dialysis location of displaced patients in order to exchange critical medical information

• Coordinate with providers and emergency personnel to ensure patient access to dialysis

Emergency Reporting

FEMA Resources

• Comprehensive Planning Guides - Accomplished properly, planning provides a methodical way to engage the whole community in thinking through the lifecycle of a potential crisis, determining required capabilities and establishing a framework for roles and responsibilities.

• The National Emergency Management Basic Academy - The goal of the Basic Academy is to support the early careers of emergency managers through a training experience combining knowledge of all fundamental systems, concepts, and practices of cutting-edge emergency management. The Academy provides shared classrooms of adult learners and skillful instructors resulting in a solid foundation upon which to build further studies and sound decisions.

Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition

QIRN5 is part of the National Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition. Visit the KCER website for the latest tools and resources to assist providers, federal, state, and local emergency responders, patients, and patients' families in establishing emergency preparedness and response plans.

Local Resources

• Virginia Dialysis Facilities: Utilizing the Virginia Healthcare Alerting and Status System (VHASS)

Use the tabbed content below to navigate the Network 5 local resources by state:

Patient Hotlines

• American Renal Associates (ARA): 1-978-232-4099 (also available by email at disasterhotline@americanrenal.com)

• COVID-19 State and Local Contacts

• DaVita Dialysis (or Total Renal Care): 1-800-400-8331

• Dialysis Clinic Inc (DCI): 1-866-424-1990

• Fresenius Medical Care (FMC or BMA): 1-800-626-1297

• Independent Dialysis Foundation (IDF): 1-866-611-9028

• US Renal Care: 1-866-671-8772

• Veteran Disaster Relief Hotline: 1-800-507-4571

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990

Patient & Provider Resources

• Emergency Checklist Postcard

• Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis

• CMS-Prepárese para Emergencias: Una guía para personas en diálisis

• Emergency Preparedness for Dialysis Facilities: A Guide for Chronic Dialysis Facilities

• Disaster Preparedness: A Guide for Chronic Dialysis Facilities - 2nd Edition

  • Supplemental Appendix of Customizable Forms

• KCER Emergency Disconnect Procedure- Shows in-center hemodialysis patients how to disconnect from dialysis in three steps during an emergency situation. 

• 5-Diamond Emergency Preparedness module (must register to access module; registration is free)

• Active Shooter Response Training webinar (recording)

• What If...? Emergency Preparedness Campaign- Updated in 2020 by Network 5's Patient Advisory Committee, this campaign includes handouts to help patients of all modalities and professionals take the first steps to being better prepared for the event of an emergency.