Initiative Summary
An estimated 31 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and another 20 million are considered at risk. As the prevalence of the risk factors of CKD—especially diabetes and hypertension—are on the rise, so are the numbers of patients affected by kidney damage. With the high prevalence of these conditions, it is imperative that at-risk patients are routinely screened and those diagnosed with CKD receive adequate management to delay the progression of the disease.
It is important that physicians routinely assess patients at risk and provide ongoing management to CKD patients.
TMF Health Quality Institute, the Quality Improvement Organization for Texas under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is launching a comprehensive health care initiative that will include physician practices, other health care professionals and settings, coalitions, partners and community outreach. TMF is engaging primary care physicians, nephrologists and other specialty physicians who treat patients with diabetes to improve on the following CKD quality measures:
- Timely testing of urine microalbumin to identify early kidney failure due to diabetes
- Prescription of an ACE inhibitor and/or angiotensin receptor blocking (ARB) agent to slow the progression of CKD in hypertensive patients with diabetes
- Increased use of arteriovenous fistula (AV fistula) as first choice for individuals who elect hemodialysis as their treatment for kidney failure
The incidence of CKD in Texas is staggering and considered underreported.
More than 1.5 million Texans have CKD, and another 1.5 million people are at risk for CKD. Individuals with both diabetes and hypertension are at especially high risk of developing CKD. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services Cardiovascular Health Facts 2001-2007 [2pg PDF], Texas has an estimated 1.82 million patients with diabetes and 4.9 million individuals with high blood pressure.
The 2007 United States Renal Data System (USRDS) reports that Texas ranks third in the United States as having the greatest number of Medicare patients with CKD. The 2007 USRDS Annual Data Report cites these statistics:
- Texas is third in the United States for number of Medicare patients with CKD, which is estimated at 138,240 patients.
- Texas ranks second in the United States for the expenditure of Medicare dollars on CKD, totaling an estimated $3.1 billion.
- Texas is seventh in the nation in per-patient costs for patients with CKD, an estimated cost of $22,680 per Medicare patient with CKD.
- Nationally, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease will increase by 62 percent between the year 2005 and 2010.
Our goal: Increasing timely screening and treatment for kidney disease among Medicare patients with diabetes, hypertension and kidney failure.
Join the Texas Campaign for Kidney Health.
TMF is leading a statewide collaboration to promote the following health initiatives:
- Clinical continuing education
- Patient education
- A focus on addressing CKD health disparities
Please contact TMF to learn how you can be involved.
Contact Us
Campaign for Kidney Health
KidneyHealth@tmf.org
1-866-439-8863