Clinics may vary in process based on their own clinical policies & procedures, location, available services, staff structure, and patient outcomes. Following are five key elements that we consistently find and that many in the renal industry have documented to be key components and practices of a "good" vascular access program. Each dialysis clinic needs to develop, participate, and sustain an active vascular access program in order to measure and achieve quality outcomes, align with current industry standards, Conditions of Coverage, K/DOQI Vascular Access Guidelines and Clinical Performance Recommendations, and to adhere to the CMS Network/CROWN data collection. Vascular Access Programs are an excellent area to focus your QAPI and CQI programs and may be the cornerstone of Pay for Performance in the future.

Vasc-Alert strives to be an integral part of the support system to our clients regarding their patient's vascular access outcomes. Since no two clinics are exactly the same, we compiled a list of 5 areas that we consistently see in our day-to-day clinic contact as making the difference between an access program and a "good" access program as recommended in the 2006 K/DOQI. The feedback was that when our clients implemented these strategies they saw greater cost-savings, greater compliance, minimal staff time requirements, better patient outcomes, and positive multi-specialty team efforts, then they had prior to start-up. Most importantly though, they had positive patient outcomes and created an environment for better quality of life for their patients.