Camp O, for Kids with Kidney Disease, June 8-14 - Press release from (non-profit) DCI. - May 11, 2013

CDC: About 1 in 8 Seniors Report Cognitive Decline - Articles from Nurse.com and HealthDay. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report article. - May 8, 2013

Docs Should Ask Heart Patients About Quality of Life - Article from HealthDay. - May 8, 2013

A Long Unrecognized Syndrome: Failure to Thrive on Dialysis - Article from RenalWEB that includes a history, symptoms, causes, and possible interventions for this obvious, but long unrecognized, syndrome. It's a starting point. - May 7, 2013
Editor's note: It looks like Kent Thiry will be staying in his position at DaVita for some time. If so, this article provides a completely new way for him to view his dialysis patients. (I promise never to use this link again.)
I first published this article in late March with a different title. However, after seeing this story on misdiagnoses in The Washington Post today, I realized that my article really did describe a syndrome (depression, withdrawal from dialysis, unemployment, loss of life meaning, noncompliance, etc.) with causes that can be effectively addressed by the medical and business community. While the article obviously will need some further editing, I decided to simply republish it with a new title for now. The foundation and much of the structure for defining this syndrome is already there (and the closing quotation is still perfect.)
Making this a recognized medical syndrome/diagnosis would motivate nephrologists to provide the same care to all patients that they would want for themselves and their own family members. I hope Mr. Thiry can take the lead in the business community in addressing this syndrome that affects so many of his patients.

Understanding a Heart Patients' Quality of Life Can Improve Outcomes - Press release from the American Heart Association. Online first article (18-page pdf) from Circulation. Related article from HealthDay. - May 7, 2013

The Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Erythropoietin Resistance in Stable Hemodialysis Patients with Adequate Iron Stores - Article in Press abstract from the International Journal of Artificial Organs. - May 6, 2013

4 Steps to Move From "Good" to "Great" Patient Experience - Article from Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control. - May 6, 2013
"The first step in moving to the next level of patient experience improvement is understanding that patient experience is more than "happiness" and being treated like a hotel guest. Rather, patient experience is a multifaceted concept including patients' physical, emotional and mental well-being."
Editor's note: Sitting in a chair for four hours does not capture the dialysis patient experience.

Chaos at Home Spells Trouble for Diabetic Kids - Article from MedPage Today. - May 5, 2013

Articles from Renal & Urology News - May 4, 2013
• Dialysis Initiation Consensus Developed in Canada
• Advanced Care Planning Urged for Dialysis Patients

Regional Variation in Care at the End of Life: Discontinuation of Dialysis - Provisional abstract and full-text article (18-page pdf) from BMC Geriatrics. - May 3, 2013

Risk Factors for Cognitive Dysfunction in CKD and Hypertensive Subjects - Article in Press abstract from International Urology and Nephrology. - May 3, 2013

Dermatological Manifestations Among Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis - (Registration required, but free) Full-text article from Wounds via Medscape Nephrology. - May 2, 2013

Physicians Less Empathetic in Communicating with Heavy Patients - May 1, 2013

Dialysis Patient Transportation in Ohio County Ends Due to Federal Sequester Budget Cuts - News report from WKYC. - May 1, 2013

Psychological and Emotional Status, and Caregiver Burden in Caregivers of Patients With Peritoneal Dialysis Compared With Caregivers of Patients With Renal Transplantation - Abstract from Transplant Proceedings. - May 1, 2013

Experts Discuss Ways To Embed Patient Voices and Values in Clinical Research - Press release and full-text article from Mayo Clinic Proceedings. - May 1, 2013

Engaging Health Care Users for Better Health and Quality Care - Article from Hospitals & Health Networks. - May 1, 2013

Pregnancy and Kidney Disease in May 2013 Issue of Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease - May 2013
• Pregnancy and Kidney Disease: Crossroads No More
• Pregnancy and Kidney Disease—The Miracle Continues Against All Odds

Recent Insights Into Life Expectancy With and Without Dialysis - (Registration required, but free) Full-text article from Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension via Medscape Nephrology. - April 30, 2013

Influence of Psychosocial Factors on the Energy and Protein Intake of Older People on Dialysis - Articles in Press Abstracts from Journal of Renal Nutrition. - April 30, 2013

Articles in Press Abstracts from American Journal Of Kidney Diseases - April 29, 2013
• Association Between Depression and Death in People With CKD: A Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies
• Trends in Hip Fracture Rates in US Hemodialysis Patients, 1993-2010

Changes in Certain Facial Structures Associated With Polycystic Kidney Disease - Article from Nature World News. Abstract from Human Molecular Genetics. - April 25, 2013

NEJM: Chronic Pruritus - April 25, 2013

Study Finds That Dialysis Patients Who Use DaVita Rx Live Longer - Press release. - April 24, 2013
Editor's note: The only new projects or products likely to be approved by upper management in large for-profit corporations are those that offer high profit margins. This project ideally fits that criteria.
Projects and products that could greatly improve patient care and improve Medicare patient survival, but offer no additional or small profit margins, are not likely to be championed by any business executive in these organizations. The chief medical officers report to these businessmen.
Ironically, the same logic applies for most patient advocacy organizations. They will only champion causes that guarantee continued corporate funding. Guess who controls the patients' fates.
We need leadership that wants more for patients.

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to Invest Up to $68 Million to Develop a National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network - Press release. - April 23, 2013

Relationship between Fatigue and Social Support in Hemodialysis Patients - Early View abstract from Nursing & Health Sciences. - April 22, 2013

Does More Frequent Hemodialysis Impact Mental Health? - Posting from the eAJKD blog. - April 22, 2013

Cancer Center Goes Public with Assisted-Suicide Protocol - (Registration required, but free) Article from American Medical News. - April 20, 2013

Slow Walking Speed Linked with Premature Death in Kidney Disease Patients - Press release and JASN Express abstract from the American Society of Nephrology. - April 20, 2013

Skin Lesions in Dialysis - Part 5 - Posting from the Renal Fellow Network blog. - April 18, 2013

Psychological Factors Associated with Successful Outcomes in Home Hemodialysis - Accepted Article abstract from Nephrology. - April 18, 2013

How Baseline, New Onset, and Persistent Depressive Symptoms Are Associated with Cardiovascular and Non-Cardiovascular Mortality in Incident Patients on Chronic Dialysis - Article in Press abstract from Journal of Psychosomatic Research. - April 18, 2013

Skin Lesions in Dialysis - Part 4 - Posting from the Renal Fellow Network blog. - April 16, 2013

Patient Satisfaction May Not Be A Good Indicator Of Surgical Quality, Study Finds - Posting from the Kaiser Health News blog. Press release from Johns Hopkins Medicine. - April 16, 2013

Renal Supportive Care — Accepted Articles Abstracts and Free, Full-Text PDFs from Nephrology - April 16, 2013
• The Often Difficult Decision of Which Patients Will Benefit from Dialysis
• Legal Issues concerning Withholding and Withdrawal of Dialysis
• Educational Needs in Supportive and End of Life Care
• Management Guidelines for Patients Choosing the Renal Supportive Care (RSC) Pathway: Information and Web-based Treatment Protocols Available to All
• Research Issues in Elderly Patients: Gaps in Knowledge and Suggested Directions
• Renal Supportive Care and the Primary Care Physician
• Issues and Models of Renal Supportive Care in Rural Areas
• Models of Care – End of Life Pathways
• Running and Setting up a Renal Supportive Care Program
• Inappropriate Interventions in the Dying Patient
• Holistic Palliative Care Approach-Physical, Spiritual, Religious and Psychological Needs
• Appropriate Assessment of Symptom Burden and Provision of Patient Information
• Ethical Principles for Patients, Families and Doctors to Consider
• Quality of Life. What Information Is Already Available and What Evidence Is This Based on?
• Predictive Modelling Risk Calculators and the Non Dialysis Pathway

'Art' of Interpersonal Medicine Improves Patient Outcomes - Articles from HealthDay and Medscape Medical News. Abstract and editorial extract from Annals of Internal Medicine. - April 15, 2013
"Therefore, to achieve desired health outcomes, it is essential to focus on optimizing both the technical and the interpersonal processes in care."

Implementing a Death with Dignity Program at a Comprehensive Cancer Center - Abstract from The New England Journal of Medicine. - April 11, 2013

Articles from the Heartland Kidney Network - April 2013
• Is Communication the Root Cause of All Root Causes?
• Survey Highlight Task 4 & 5

How Depression Affects Dialysis (1-page pdf) Poster from the Northwest Renal Network.

Hope, Inspiration & Wisdom: A Treasury of Thoughts on Coping with Kidney Disease book from Renal Support Network

Kidney Living is a FREE magazine for dialysis patients from the National Kidney Foundation's web site

Delicious! - AAKP recipe cookbook

Engaging Patients in Care Design - Video from Hospital & Health Networks

Help! I Need Dialysis! -- E-book by Dori Schatell, John Agar

Health Platform for Kidney Disease web site by Shad Ireland Foundation

Communications from the Heart web site by Lori Hartwell

Hope Street web site from the National Kidney Foundation