Disordered Mineral Homeostasis + Chronic Kidney Disease + Health Care Reform = Increased Morbidity and Mortality in the Patient With CKD

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) occurs in virtually all patients with CKD, and its progression is associated with osteoporosis, bone fractures, cardiovascular disease, immune suppression, and increased mortality. Early intervention to ameliorate bone and mineral abnormalities is requisite to good care for patients with CKD. However, proposed health care legislation may markedly impact the delivery of quality care for Medicare patients with CKD stage 5. Concerns over rising costs in connection with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have resulted in the proposal for a legislated “bundled” ESRD payment system. The so-called bundle will result in a per-patient, per-treatment base rate that will include hemodialysis services in addition to injectable and oral medications. Experts have raised concerns over the construct of the bundle, inadequacy of quality measures, and the financial constraints that might ultimately impact patient care and outcomes. Meeting these systemic challenges will be particularly important given the continued rise in incidence of renal dysfunction and the need to implement newly published Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guidelines for CKD-MBD.

This case-based activity will describe the pathologic mechanisms that underlie CKD-MBD. Evidence-based strategies to manage mineral and bone abnormalities in CKD will be reviewed in the context of current KDIGO recommendations. Importantly, the program will explore methods to manage CKD-MBD in the current health care environment and discuss reimbursement issues that might potentially impact care for these patients.

Available until June 7, 2011.
Physicians: 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™
Nurses: 2.0 contact hours

This activity is jointly sponsored by SCEPTER^™ and Quintiles Medical Education. This activity is co-provided by Global Education Group and SCEPTER^™.