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Supporting Gainful Employment of ESRD Patients QIA

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Why Promote Gainful Employment?

Working promotes improved quality of life for patients and increases patient positivity by:

  • Creating routines 
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle 
  • Boosting self-esteem
  • Increasing:
    • Income
    • Independence
  • Promoting a sense of purpose
  • Enhancing social interaction
  • Reducing risk for depression

QIA Goals

The goals of the Supporting Gainful Employment for ESRD Patients Quality Improvement Activities (QIA) include:

  • Screening and monitoring 100% of the eligible-patient population for interest in Employment Network (EN) or Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program participation. 
  • Increasing the number of eligible patients referred to EN or VR programs by at least 50% from the baseline rate.
  • Increasing the number of eligible patients receiving EN or VR services to at least 1% of the denominator population from the baseline.
  • Achieving at least ten referrals to EN and/or VR programs for patients between the ages of 55–64.

For an overview of the QIA's goals, inclusion criteria, interventions, reporting requirements, best practices and more, view the 2019 Support Gainful Employment QIA orientation webinar.

Resources

2020 VR QIA Orientation Webinar (Network 17) (PDF)
For an overview of Support Gianful Employment QIA goals, inclusion criteria, interventions, reporting requirements, best practices, and more, view the 2020 Support Gainful QIA Orientation Webinar slide deck.

2020 Support Gainful Employment QIA Orientation Webinar (Network 7)(PDF)
This webinar will provide an overview of the Support Gainful Employment QIA Goals, interventions, reporting requirements, best practices, available resources, QIA requirements and more.

Support Gainful Employment and CROWNWeb Reporting: A CROWNWeb Aid (PDF)
Use this step-by step instructional tool as an aid for reporting Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Network activities in CROWNWeb.

Support Gainful Employment Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) Tracker (XLSX)
Use this tracking and monitoring tool to accurately track and monitor patients' VR and/or EN status and activities.

Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) Monitoring Form
Use the Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) Monitoring Form for tracking the number of VR-/EN-eligible, screened, referred and service-receiving patients and for discussion of progress toward goals during QAPI meetings.

Top Tips for Engaging Patients and Hosting a Successful Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Employment Network (EN) Lobby Day
A one-page tool providing practical advice for organizing and hosting a productive and successful Lobby Day.

Interested in Returning to Work or School? Did You Know ...
A one-page resource for patients that summarizes the benefits of VN and ER services and offers the patient perspective on returning to work and VR.

Are You Ready for Work?
This one-page resource helps patients determine if they are ready to go back to school or work.

Social Security Administration Resources

Ticket to Work

The Social Security Administration provides resources for both patients and providers. Patients can attend Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE) or watch videos about a VR success story. Providers can download marketing materials and toolkits to utilize when educating patients.

Use this toolkit to:

  • Create an informational VR bulletin board.
  • Help plan and host a Lobby Day in your facility.
  • Locate and download additional resources for your interested patients, including videos.

National Coordinating Center (NCC) Resource

Getting Back to Me: A Goal-Setting Journey (PDF)
Use this workbook to help patients identify personal goals and set a plan to achieve them. This resource was developed by kidney patients and family members, designed to help restore a sense of dignity and increase self-esteem through goal setting.

2019 Supporting Gainful Employment of ESRD Patients LAN Webinars

  • Helping Patients Work Using SSA Work Incentives 
    April 16, 2019 
    View Recording
  • Approaches to Reducing Hospitalizations in ESRD Patients
    February 28, 2019
     View Recording
  • Depression in Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease: Similarities and Differences in Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Management 
    February 21, 2019
    View Recording

2019 Best Practices

The following best practices were identified from the PHFPQ LAN events:

Educate facility staff and eligible patients between the ages of 18–55 about working while on dialysis with the following materials:

  • The Ticket to Work educational flyer titled, Debunking the Three Biggest Myths about Disability Benefits and Work.
  • The Ticket to Work success story titled, Peter’s Success Story.
  • The work incentive article titled, Working on Home Dialysis: What Dialysis Staff Should Know.

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