Organ Donation & Transplantation Alliance (The Alliance)’s Post

A proposed mandatory model, the Increasing Organ Transplant (IOTA) Model, has been announced by CMS. The model aims to increase access to kidney transplants for individuals with end stage renal disease, improve transplant quality of care, increase transplant efficiency, and reduce #disparities among transplant recipients. Models like these are fundamental in ensuring increased access to care for all patients, and supporting a movement away from fee-for-service economics to focus on the holistic needs of the patient. We look forward to commenting on this proposed model. https://lnkd.in/ePx6Sc8n

Everyone who needs a kidney should get one and everyone who receives a transplant deserves to live a quality life after. Unfortunately, for decades our healthcare system has underperformed in kidney transplantation. Dialysis is NOT a cure and while a kidney transplant offers a 2nd chance at life, some patients are struggling with devastating complications of toxic immunosuppressive agents required to maintain their new organ. More innovation is needed to improve long-term quality of life and patient outcomes post-transplant. Additionally, more support is needed for living donors before and after donation. Thank you to the American Society of Nephrology - Kidney Health Initiative (KHI) for bringing together industry leaders, providers, policy makers and administrators, advocates, patients and caregivers for the Kidney Innovation Conference in Washington, DC this week. For the last 10 years, KHI in collaboration with over 70 member organizations, including Sanofi, has led the way in catalyzing innovation and the development of safe and effective patient-centered therapies for people with kidney diseases. Although there are many hurdles ahead, the future of innovation in kidney transplantation is bright with a community of collaborators dedicated to making impactful change! To learn more about KHI visit kidneyhealthinitiative.org #KidneyInnovation #TransplantsForAll

How can the End Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model, the Kidney Care Choices Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (KCC CKCC) Model, and the new Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model collaboratively transform the quality of kidney care through transplantation? By leveraging metrics that incentivize kidney transplants, we can rewire local healthcare systems to improve outcomes. Barriers? Participant selection involves randomization for mandatory models (ETC & IOTA), while participation is voluntary for the KCC CKCC model. Achieving the desired outcomes of VBC arrangements is challenging when only portions of providers are aligned with similar objectives. A strategic clustered approach could dramatically overhaul a geographic network of providers, improving access to and utilization of transplantation. By creating local 'neural networks' of providers incentivized for change, this method not only drives sustainable success in value-based kidney care but also establishes transplantation as the gold standard renal replacement therapy for individuals with end-stage kidney disease. Such an alignment achieves the ultimate goal of VBC by providing high-quality care at a lower cost.

Kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death and if left unaddressed, it is estimated to be the fifth leading cause of years of life lost by 2040. End stage kidney disease requires kidney transplantation or long-term dialysis. Our latest blog sees Frank J.M.F. Dor, consultant transplant surgeon and clinical lead for transplantation at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, discuss the benefits of living kidney donation and organ donation more widely. “Dialysis patients have a much higher chance of dying than many types of cancer patients these days. The quality of life of dialysis patients is also significantly reduced – people become incapable of doing regular things such as going to work. Often, people do not see the struggles of kidney patients because in the early stages, there may be no obvious symptoms. “Successful organ donation transforms chronically ill people with a high risk of dying and a poor quality of life, into “healthy” people. They will still need treatment and lifelong medication, but they can return to an almost normal life which is what we aspire to.” Read Frank’s blog ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7i9TqC9 NHS England World Kidney Day Kidney Care UK

If your organization provides this critical service, you'll need this important information. Learn about CMS' Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, a proposed mandatory initiative with new requirements for transplant hospitals in this article by Georgia Green, MS, CHFP and Steven Hartley with Moss Adams. Set to begin January 1, 2025, this six-year mandatory program focuses on increasing the availability and efficiency of kidney transplants through performance-based payment incentives. 

Kidney disease is the eighth leading cause of death and if left unaddressed, it is estimated to be the fifth leading cause of years of life lost by 2040. End stage kidney disease requires kidney transplantation or long-term dialysis. Our latest blog sees Frank J.M.F. Dor, consultant transplant surgeon and clinical lead for transplantation at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, discuss the benefits of living kidney donation and organ donation more widely. “Dialysis patients have a much higher chance of dying than many types of cancer patients these days. The quality of life of dialysis patients is also significantly reduced – people become incapable of doing regular things such as going to work. Often, people do not see the struggles of kidney patients because in the early stages, there may be no obvious symptoms. “Successful organ donation transforms chronically ill people with a high risk of dying and a poor quality of life, into “healthy” people. They will still need treatment and lifelong medication, but they can return to an almost normal life which is what we aspire to.” Read Frank’s blog ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7i9TqC9 NHS England World Kidney Day Kidney Care UK

Q: Why would we need both the End Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model? A: Together, they ensure comprehensive and balanced incentives across the spectrum of kidney care, avoiding unilateral incentives that could hinder overall progress in patient outcomes. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has been at the forefront of advancing value-based care in kidney health with the introduction of specialized models that cater to different stages of patient care and provider types. The ETC Model targets dialysis facilities and managing clinicians incentivizing facilities to adopt and enhance home-based care solutions and kidney transplant. In contrast, the IOTA Model shifts focus towards those that do actual kidney transplants - transplant hospitals, emphasizing improvements in organ transplantation. Both models embrace a performance-based payment framework, yet the IOTA Model expands this concept with a more intricate scoring system, assessing a wider array of performance metrics and implementing a gradual introduction to risk. Medicare continues to fulfill its promise that by 2030, all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries will be in a care relationship where there is accountability for quality. I'm interested to see the industries comments on the IOTA model.

#WorldLiverDay observed on April 19th, serves as a reminder of the importance of liver health and the impact of liver diseases worldwide. Liver dialysis/MARS also known as liver support therapy, plays a crucial role in supporting patients with liver disease by removing toxins and waste products from the blood when the liver is unable to function effectively. This therapy can help stabilize patients with acute liver failure or certain chronic liver diseases, providing a bridge to liver transplantation or allowing the liver to recover. By supporting the liver's vital functions, dialysis can improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with severe liver conditions. It is essential to raise awareness about the significance of liver dialysis in managing liver disease and to continue advancing research and innovation in this field. #liverhealth #screening #liverdialysis #livertransplant

Associate Professor Ian Hollis, PharmD, FCCP, BCCP, is the lead author on an ISHLT - International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Consensus Statement titled "Strategies to Prevent and Manage Hemocompatibility Related Adverse Events in MCS Patients." The statement was recently published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. Follow the link below to read the statement which is intended to assist clinicians caring for patients with a CF-LVAD provide the best care possible with respect to prevention and management of HRAEs. https://lnkd.in/ePq4jddm

Learn about CMS' Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model, a proposed mandatory initiative with new requirements for transplant hospitals in this article by Georgia Green, MS, CHFP and Steven Hartley with Moss Adams. Set to begin January 1, 2025, this six-year mandatory program focuses on increasing the availability and efficiency of kidney transplants through performance-based payment incentives.