Tracking progress
The PPS changes the status quo for dialysis providers nationwide and brings a set of administrative and bureaucratic adjustments to the delivery of treatment. Between a 2 percent reduction in reimbursement, a 3.1 percent transition adjustor and the potential of as much as a 2 percent reduction in the proposed QIP, providers have a lot to worry about.

“Conceivably, we’re talking about a potential 7 percent cut in reimbursement and the profit margins in dialysis facilities are so small that it’s a significant reduction in resources,” says Chianchiano.

With the final ESRD payment system set to kick-off in January, industry professionals are adamant about setting up a monitoring or tracking system, which would provide information on the effects of the fundamental changes to the payment system.

The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study, a prospective study that investigates practices related to best outcomes for hemodialysis patients, is stepping up to the plate. To help CMS assess the impact of the new rules, it’s launching the DOPPS Practice Monitor, a Web-based system that will analyze practice patterns among providers and share the data with the renal community every four months. The DOPPS DPM will provide extensive data throughout the implementation of both the PPS and the QIP. It’s set to begin later this year.

“We want to make sure that patient care and quality of care and patient outcomes are not unintentionally affected by the new bundling system,” says Chianchiano.

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