Forum of the end-stage renal disease networks' role in implementing the National Kidney Foundation-Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative Clinical Practice Guidelines

The development and release of the National Kidney Foundation Dialysis Outc omes Quality Initiative (NKF-DOQI) Clinical Practice Guidelines marks an im portant step in the on-going process of improving the renal dialysis patien t's outcomes. The Forum of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks' role in this process should be considered within the context of its mission and th e ESRD Networks' Congressional mandate. In addition, facilitating the imple mentation of the NKF-DOQI Guidelines is one component of the Forum's curren t quality-related agenda. Environmental trends and current research indicat e a variety of factors critical to the successful implementation of the NKF -DOQI Guidelines. The Forum's plan encompasses each of the following key el ements: defining and evaluating the Guidelines and clinical performance mea sures (CPMs); prioritizing and locally disseminating NKF-DOQI Guidelines; c onverting NKF-DOQI Guidelines into CPMs; expanding the information infrastr ucture; and conducting quality activities and engaging local physicians. Ke eping in mind the broader national agenda for quality improvement in the re nal community, including continuing medical education programs focused on q uality measurement and improvement tools and techniques, developing decisio n support tools and increasing on-line access to evidence-based reports and literature is important as well. Carrying out the Forum's plan for impleme nting the NKF-DOQI Guidelines, in collaboration with national nephrology pr ofessional and patient organizations, will facilitate Guideline adoption an d use across the renal community. (C) 1999 by the National Kidney Foundatio n, Inc.