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CNMI dialysis ‘better than US mainland’
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Posted on Sep 17 2005
The CNMI dialysis facilities and procedures have proven to be better than medical centers in the United States, according to the quarterly Dialysis Facility Report recently issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The report looked at Medicare statistics, comparing dialysis facilities at the Commonwealth Health Center, network hospitals and those that in the mainland. The dialysis report for the CNMI included both for peritoneal and Hemodialysis.
Nephrology’s and ESRD medical director Imran Zahid said the CNMI exceeded the standards for the dialysis facilities and treatment.
On the Hematocrit percentage, the CNMI scored 92.6 percent while the U.S. scored 91.1 percent. The minimum score required was 33 percent.
Under the Urea Reduction Ratio that tells a reviewer how good the blood was cleaned up after dialysis, Zahid said that CHC scored 98 percent against the U.S., which scored only 92.3 percent.
Both only had to score 65 percent as minimum to pass the review, said Zahid.
Under the Arterio Venous Fistula category, which refers to the use of needles on veins, the CHC scored 67.1 percent whereas the U.S. scored only 36.6 percent. In AV Graft, where tubing is used to facilitate dialysis, CHC scored the lowest, with only 28 percent while the U.S. had 34.9 percent.
Zahid said, though, that AV Fistula is more recommended than AV Graft in dialysis treatments.
CHC scored 0 in the review of catheter use beyond 90 days. Zahid said the hospital did not have any patient that had to be in catheter as long as 90 days or more. The U.S. scored 13 percent in this category review.
Lastly, the Standard Mortality Ratio showed that the CHC only scored 0.58 whereas the U.S. scored 1. Zahid said the CNMI community could always be assured of the best dialysis treatment not only in the Commonwealth but also across the nation.
