2024.3.06 EQRS Program Working Group Meeting

This session will be recorded for the purpose of documenting the meeting minutes and action items. If there are any objections to the recording of this session, please make it known now. Absence of an objection to the meeting being recorded will count as consent to recording this meeting.

Program Working Group Meeting Recording 03062024.mp4

Features selected for PI26: 

• CMS 2728 #17 Primary Cause of Renal Failure – dropdown function (Recording jump to 31:48 - 32:57) 
  • Request to have a drop-down function to select the exact cause
  • The drop down shows the cause but not the code
  • Both the cause and code will be added together to the drop down
• EQRS capability for facilities to download their DFCC preview period reports each quarter (Recording jump to 33:02 - 34:13)
  • EQRS team will create functionality within EQRS for facilities to download their DFCC preview period reports each quarter.
  • Is DFCC different than the patient lists?
    • DFCC and Patient lists are separate
    • Now the team is working on the preview period report

• Exploration Enabler: Capture the Nursing Home Start Date & End Date to populate within EQRS (Recording jump to 34:20 - 36:42)

  • The Nursing Home Start Date is currently an optional field that is updated via UI or EDSM. The Nursing Home Start Date and End Date will become required fields in EQRS. This data is needed as a requirement on the Network contract. A data source needs to be identified and validated. When available this data will be stored in EQRS and will be locked down meaning that the fields are not editable. If the data is not available for a patient, then the fields will be editable via the UI and EDSM. There needs to be the ability to store historical Nursing Home Start and End Dates for the patient but only the most recent dates need to be displayed via the UI.
    • Geraldine request - for the nursing home part if they could give them a bit of a description because there are many different places where patients stay; they need to know whether its a nursing home or a long-term care facility (Action Item Porsche)
    • Expanding the description of what they are considering to be nursing home would be helpful
    • EQRS is doing research this PI to see if they can find a source for the data
    • Nothing is being implemented at the moment this is an enabler for PI26
• Form 2728 Updates - Downstream Changes and Mappings (Recording jump to 36:55 - 40:40)
  • Update column names and mappings for legacy data in support of updates made for the 2023 version of ESRD forms.
    • The column names are updates that need to be done internally; no impact to the EDIs
  • Modify relevant labels and fields (e.g. change "Gender" to "Sex at Birth") in the downstream reports and data warehouse outputs of EQRS to reflect the latest changes to the 2023 versions of ESRD forms and re-map race/ethnicity designations in support of form updates to ensure that legacy ESRD data displays correctly in the updated interface and for reporting purposes.
    • These are backend/behind the scenes updates needed to be done
  • Geraldine asked - If the 2728s were started but not submitted prior to May 6th, they would still be able to complete the old version?  Anything after that would always be the new version 
    • Per Anitha the answer is Yes
• Manage Access and My Profile Redesign (Recording jump to 40:43 - 43:25)

  • The Manage Access pages (My Applications | My Access | Request Access (with tool tips) | Pending Requests | Manage User List), along with the Profile Information page are used by all of our EQRS customers.

    Based on previous discovery research conducted by the QIP HCD team in 2021 and unsolicited feedback received from the user community, there's an opportunity to improve the User Experience of the tasks performed in these areas, such as:

    • requesting roles and managing one's own access
    • as an SO, managing other users, their roles, and requests
    • viewing/maintaining profile information

    This could entail:

    • adding helpful descriptions or instructions to provide users more context and guidance
    • redesigning entire flows to be more seamless and intuitive
    • restructuring the layout of these pages to be more user-friendly and appealing

    Note: This HCD enabler could require a phased approach, as each page of the Manage Access section of EQRS is used for a variety of tasks by various users and would require multiple interview and testing plans for the different user types.

  • The goal of this feature is for every role to have some sort of landing page/dashboard making it more user friendly when entering the application
• Personnel Module Redesign (Recording jump to 43:26 - 44:27)

  • The Personnel module is a section of EQRS where users at dialysis facilities can add/remove staff that work at their organization and add/update/remove roles and additional details.

    Currently, most users are not updating or using this information because they have no personal need for it and/or do not understand the business requirements for their responsibility of keeping this information up to date. Moreover, the UX/UI of the current version is unclear and confusing to use.

• PHCD Enabler: Authenticated Portal Homepage/Dashboard (cont'd) (Recording jump to 44:27 - 44:50)

  • Currently, a user lands on the My Access page upon signing into EQRS. The HCD team identified a need for a true homepage experience that can serve as the launching point for users to complete their tasks and as a source of up-to-date information and alerts.

    The proposed solution is to have EQRS and QIP users land on a "personalized" homepage relevant to the selected org and respective roles/purview. 

• PHCD Enabler: Patient Search/List Redesign (Recording jump to 44:51 - 46:43)
  • Currently, a user must initiate a blind search with many search criteria options and cannot filter the search results to drill down. The new method of viewing and finding patient record(s) will provide users a full list of active patients upon entering the "Patients" page. Users can then filter by name, SSN, facility, MBI, DOB, etc. to drill down on the patient(s) they need to find. The new list would also have additional columns of data that are useful for users (active/inactive, facility they are admitted to, etc.)
    • Geraldine suggests that it would be nice to be able to just type in the UPI number for the patient search instead of having to go in and physically having to add all the details of that patient again
      • Adrienne will pass this suggestion off to Lizzie. (Action Item Adrienne)
        • After discussion with the team, this suggestion will not be added to the backlog at this time (3/8)
• Reports: Vascular Access Report (Recording jump to 46:44 - 47:06)
  • Facility dialysis providers and Dialysis corporations use vascular access data for a number of patient care initiatives and quality improvement in their facility and corporation. ESRD Network organizations use vascular access data as part of their mission in the Social Security Act to maintain the patient registry and ensure a standard of care in the ESRD Program. The implementation of vascular access reporting and dashboards in the EQRS system will allow the users at the scope and role to perform the tasks necessary for their initiatives. This is not a QIP report, and will not mimic the algorithm or outcomes, but a real-time view into the facility, state, Network and national numbers to see which patients have which type of vascular access.
• Role Consolidation: Deprecate Unnecessary Roles (Recording jump to 47:07 - 51:58)
  • Address and deprecate unnecessary roles in EQRS and QIP.
  • Consolidate overlapping/duplicative roles across Portal and QIP within EQRS.  Individual facility users, LDO's, CMS and its representatives need to have appropriate access to EQRS to have the ability to view data and reports, as well as have the ability to submit, review and finalize inquiries.
    • Question from Nathan - Should they wait until all of the role consolidation is done before they try to proceed with any mass removal of all their roles?
      • Adrienne suggested to move forward with what the EDIs intended
      • Nathan mentioned they were waiting for EQRS on mass removal of roles
      • It was being tested using Kathleen's roles or was that put on hold?
        • Adrienne will take this back to the EQRS team for more information.  She is asking for a few weeks to get an answer
          • This particular task is still on the backlog.  The goal is to prioritize this work for PI27.
    • For the consolidation, Nathan suggested to make sure now that we are adding DFCC to the system to include the roles functionalities when assessing need consolidation roles, management, etc
  • Geraldine - She and Vlad were not able to make the last role call.  Is there going to be a follow up?
    • It has to do with consolidation of the roles in EQRS when you go in and put personnel in
    • Adrienne will have Yvette reach out to Geraldine to discuss (Action Item Adrienne)

DaVita -(Recording jump to 55:39 - 58:55)

• Nathan has a ticket open that is being looked into.  Since last week he has been getting emails that look like EQRS role requests and appear to be fake
  • Janet Hutchinson mentioned she gets the same type of emails when someone is needing a new or different role in pre prod
  • These are pre prod roles being created for testing in lower environments
  • Michael will have them take out Nathan's email so he won't get those type of emails anymore

FMC 

DCI - (Recording jump to 52:13 - 53:55)

• Geraldine - Would they consider adding a new end for an admission for suspended? 
  • Porsche will take this back to her team internally.  (Action Item Porsche)

RHA 

US Renal 

Innovative Renal Care

Administrative Reminders

• If any Production issues are encountered, please submit a Helpdesk ticket.  This will allow the EQRS team to better track the issue and progress.
  • Service Center: 866-288-8912 or qnetsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov. 
• CMS will refresh data in the EQRS Prod Preview environment on the first Sunday of every month. The planned schedule is below.

• • Sun, 03 Dec 2023
  • Sun, 07 Jan 2024
  • Sun, 04 Feb 2024
  • Sun, 03 Mar 2024
  • Sun, 07 Apr 2024
  • Sun, 05 May 2024
  • Sun, 02 Jun 2024
  • Sun, 07 Jul 2024
  • Sun, 04 Aug 2024
  • Sun, 01 Sep 2024

• • If there are any issues with the scheduled date(s) please notify the team by the Friday before that Sunday when the refresh of data is scheduled to take place
  • If there are any issues encountered with the refresh on Sunday, it will be moved to Monday (next day)

• Next meeting scheduled for: 20 Mar 2024