How are dialysis clinics regulated in California?

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Licenses and Certifies Dialysis Clinics. CDPH is the state entity responsible for licensing CDCs to operate in California and certifying CDCs on behalf of the federal government. Federal certification is required to receive payment from Medicare and Medi-Cal.

Who regulates dialysis centers in California?

The California Department of Public Health
Most Dialysis Patients Receive Treatment in Clinics. Each CDC operates an average of 22 dialysis stations, with each station providing treatment to one patient at a time. The California Department of Public Health (DPH) is responsible for licensing and inspecting CDCs.

Are dialysis clinics regulated?

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) regulate how dialysis centers provide care in order to make sure that safety and quality standards are met.

Who owns dialysis clinics in California?

About 80,000 patients visit the state’s 600 licensed chronic dialysis clinics, three-quarters of which are owned or operated by DaVita or Fresenius, the largest dialysis companies in the country, according to a report by the nonpartisan state Legislative Analyst’s Office.

How many dialysis clinics are there in California?

600 dialysis clinics
There are roughly 600 dialysis clinics in California, each treating thousands of residents suffering from kidney failure with machines that remove a patient’s blood and filter it to remove waste and excess fluids before returning the blood to their body.

Who is responsible for the water quality in the dialysis clinic?

It can be disconcerting to medical directors when they realize that, as a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) condition for coverage (CFC), “the medical director is responsible for the safety and quality of the water used for dialysis treatments” (1).

Are dialysis clinics dirty?

In nearly half of the units, inspectors noted dirty or unsafe conditions, including dried blood in treatment chairs or on walls, floors, and ceilings. Hundreds of clinics were cited for lapses in infection control, and dozens more were tagged for prescription errors.

How often are dialysis centers inspected in California?

According to state lawmakers, in California kidney dialysis centers are inspected every six years despite federal guidelines requiring recertification every three years.

How much water is a dialysis patient exposed to?

During an average week of hemodialysis, a patient can be exposed to 300-600 liters of water, providing multiple opportunities for potential patient exposure to waterborne pathogens.

Why is water quality important in dialysis?

Guidelines and recommendations are necessary due to the potential health outcomes for dialysis patients if exposed to chemical or microbiological contaminants. Chemical contaminants can cause chemical toxicity and adverse effects if present at high enough concentrations.

How are dialysis centers regulated?

Will Proposition 23 affect dialysis clinics in California?

California voters are being asked to weigh in on a complex medical issue in November that will affect dialysis clinics and patients throughout the state. Proposition 23, a labor-backed initiative, is a new version of a similar measure that voters turned down last year. Prop. 23 requires a physician or nurse-practitioner at dialysis clinics.

What is Proposition 23 and why does it matter?

The most consequential provision in Proposition 23 is the mandate to have a doctor on site at all times. Supporters say the doctor is needed to recognize when a patient is slipping into a crisis during treatment.

Do dialysis clinics need a physician or nurse-practitioner?

Prop. 23 requires a physician or nurse-practitioner at dialysis clinics. Infection rates would need to be reported to the government. State approval would be needed for clinic closure or service reduction.

Should California voters regulate dialysis clinics?

For the second time in two years, California voters will be asked to play the role of healthcare regulators and set rules for how dialysis clinics operate in this state. And once again, they’ll be offered a seemingly appealing way to make clinics safer.