Quality Assurance in Dialysis

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

   PDF

2. Evidence-based medicine as a strategy for improving the quality of clinical decision making for dialysis patients

   • David N. Churchill

   Pages 1-6

3. A continuous quality improvement paradigm for health care networks

   • Edmund G. Lowrie

   Pages 7-26

4. Process for initiating and maintaining continuous quality improvement in the ESRD setting

   • Gregory Hohner, Diane Fender

   Pages 27-38

5. Choice of statistical models for assessing the clinical outcomes of the efforts to provide high quality care for the ESRD patient

   • Edward F. Vonesh

   Pages 39-54

6. Assigning severity indices to outcomes

   • Naseem S. Amin

   Pages 55-60

7. The role of quality assurance in preventing legal actions

   • James T. O’Neill

   Pages 61-72

8. Quality Criteria for the Clinical Record

   • Susan Williams, K I M Pierpoint, Corrine Algrim Boyle

   Pages 73-80

9. The impact of global vigilance reporting requirements on the quality of dialysis products and services

   • Pamela McDonnell, Richard S. Thuma

   Pages 81-92

10. Regulatory environment and government impact on the quality of dialysis products

    • Steven Hoff, Richard Newman

    Pages 93-104

11. Global spectrum of quality assurance in the provision of dialysis

    • Robert Allen

    Pages 105-109

12. Clinical Quality of the Patient at Onset of Dialysis Treatment

    • T. Alpikizler, Raymond M. Hakim

    Pages 111-123

13. Patient and Therapy Perspectives: Choosing the Patient “Is better Worse?”

    • C. M. Kjellstrand

    Pages 125-131

14. Quality of care in the pre-ESRD period; impact on survival in the first year of dialysis

    • James Tattersall

    Pages 133-142

15. Quality of life assurance in hemodialysis

    • Robert Lindsay

    Pages 143-154

16. Hemodialysis in the home and its impact on quality of life

    • Christopher R. Blagg

    Pages 155-162

17. Selection of adequacy criteria models for hemodialysis

    • William R. Clark

    Pages 163-172

18. Water treatment for hemodialysis

    • P. Keshaviah

    Pages 173-187

19. Reuse of dialyzers — implications for adequacy of dialysis

    • B. V. R. Murthy, B. J. G. Pereira

    Pages 189-198

20. The impact of membrane selection on quality assurance in dialysis

    • Lee W. Henderson

    Pages 199-213

In examining the preface of our first book, it is increases needed. The Deming philosophy empha­ apparent that the editorial comments made in sizes that quality is never fully achieved: process 1994 are even more pertinent in today's cost- improvement is never ending. constrained healthcare environment than when But, what is quality? Without defining, David first written. We repeat them in part. Garvin makes the point that "in its original form, This is a time in history when the concept of quality activities were reactive and inspecti- quality is reaching new highs in terms of public oriented; today, quality related activities have awareness. Articles describing quality, CQI, qual­ broadened and are seen as essential for strategic ity tools, critical success factors, failures, and success" [1]. How can the broad context of quality lessons learned appear in local newspapers, trade be applied to the diverse aspects of ESRD? journals, scientific periodicals, and professional Furthermore, although far from a new concept, publications on a daily basis, yet implementation Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) has taken of a quality system in many hospital units is its place as a dominant theme in many industries. approached with caution and the basic tenants of CQI is more broadly applicable, both in concept quality systems and CQI continue to be misunder­ and execution, to service as well as manufacturi- stood. based operations.

• dialysis
• evidence-based medicine
• transplantation

• Baxter Healthcare Corporation, McGaw Park, USA

  Lee W. Henderson

• Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Roundlake, USA

  Richard S. Thuma

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