Tuesday - Vascular Access

New Trends in the Clinical Setting: Fistulas & Grafts

Neghae Mawla, MD, FASDIN

Learn about the latest trends in the clinical setting. Discover the intricacies of AVFs, endovascular AVFs, and various AVGs, and gain valuable insights into the creation and maintenance interventions. Stay ahead of the curve with a sneak peek into upcoming technologies in dialysis access. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your expertise and provide optimal care for your patients. Dialysis technicians, this session is tailored for you.

Physical Assessment

Forest Rawls, Emory Healthcare

Enhance your dialysis practice with our session on Physical Assessment. Explore vascular access maturation and cannulation techniques. Learn the one-minute check and access monitoring methods such as Look, Listen, Feel, Arm Elevation (AVF only), and Augmentation. Join us to elevate your skills and improve patient outcomes. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your assessment skills and accelerate your career in dialysis practice.

Advocating for your Patient

Terry Litchfield, President, Access Solutions

Unlock the power of patient advocacy in dialysis care with Terry Litchfield, a renowned access leader. Her unique perspective on patient advocacy comes from working with her late husband Bill, who celebrated 46-years on RRT before his death. Gain invaluable knowledge on how to empower patients in their self-care journey. Discover the importance of educating patients on access modality and delivery choices, ensuring they make informed decisions. Elevate your practice as a dialysis technician and learn how to empower your patients.

Cannulation Troubleshooting and Roundtable Discussion

Terry Litchfield, President, Access Solutions

Neghae Mawla, MD, FASDIN

Forest Rawls, Emory Healthcare

Led by renowned nephrologists, this engaging session will delve into the intricacies of cannulation, providing invaluable insights from the experts themselves. Learn the crucial information that nephrologists want you to know about cannulation, empowering you to take charge of patient care and safety.

Discover the proper techniques for cannulation and gain comprehensive understanding on the importance of taping to prevent needle dislodgement. Explore the perils and pitfalls associated with cannulating different types of accesses, enabling you to navigate potential challenges efficiently. Hear from patients, technologists, and physicians as they share their perspectives on the crucial role you play in preserving access.

Tuesday - Breaking Down the Silo

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Anna Chew, Chief Clinical Officer, Fresenius Care Medical are

Clarica Douglas Ajayi, VP Nutrition Services, Fresenius Kidney Care

Lakeisha Jones, Chief Clinical Officer, Concerto Renal Services

The untapped potential of working across disciplines can help improve the care of the CKD patient. Discover how breaking down silos between different healthcare specialties can lead to more creative and innovative improvements. By fostering a culture of collaboration, we can enhance communication and understanding, ultimately transforming patient outcomes.This thought-provoking session brings together a multi-disciplinary panel of experts who will share their insights and experiences on effective collaboration. Gain clear and actionable suggestions to elevate your collaboration skills, ensuring that every member of your team feels valued and included.

Promoting Trust

Pamela Allison, DaVita

Mike Macias, Group Biomed Director, DaVita

Melissa Silva, Vice President, Clinical Services, Fresenius Kidney Care

Discover how to build trust within your team and develop trust with patients. Gain valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance communication, improve patient outcomes, and foster a positive patient care environment. As dialysis technicians, you play a pivotal role in the patient care team. Through engaging discussions and interactive exercises, we will explore creative and innovative improvements that can enhance communication within the team and foster trust with patients. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your professional skills and make a lasting impact on your patients' lives.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Shantell Dixon, Regional Operations Director, DaVita

Tracy Givens, Chief Nursing Officer, Satellite Healthcare

Alvin Morrison, PCT III Preceptor, Fresenius Kidney Care

In the fast-paced and demanding world of dialysis clinics, dialysis technicians play a crucial role in providing quality care to patients. Your ability to work effectively as a team can greatly impact patient outcomes and overall clinic success. This session is designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge to build a collaborative and cohesive team. By fostering strong relationships, encouraging open communication, and addressing anxiety and stress, you will leave equipped to enhance patient care and contribute to the overall success of their clinic. Join us and make a difference in patient outcomes and clinic success.

Promoting a Positive Culture

Ercelene Kinnebrew, Clinical Educator, Northwest Kidney Centers

This interactive session will explore the importance of fostering a positive culture in healthcare and learn strategies to promote a supportive and inclusive environment. Participants will learn the tools and techniques to ignite positive change and skyrocket patient outcomes. Be prepared to dive into the heart of the matter as we explore how each dialysis technician has the power to be a catalyst for collaborative transformation. We'll unravel the secrets to changing the dialysis unit culture, empowering individuals to make the necessary changes that will revolutionize the way you work. Get ready to take part in a session that's as empowering as it is game-changing. Let's create a positive culture that will leave a lasting impact on the lives of your patients and colleagues.

Water Treatment

The Science behind Heat Disinfection

Nate Perkins, Water System Installation Engineer, Fresenius Medical Care

Buddy Morel, Sr Manager Water Systems Installation and Logistics, Fresenius Medical Care

Heat Disinfection has been around for a while so where did it come from, how do we ensure its effectiveness, what are the advantages and disadvantages to using heat. Even though it is becoming more common there are still a lot of questions hopefully this session will answer some of those for you.

Challenges in Water Treatment from the Customer's Perspective

Tom Allocco, Senior Vice President of Technical Services, US Renal Care

Mark Gray, VP Technical Services, Fresenius Kidney Care

Lisa Hauf, DaVita

Ryan Martin, Vice President, Biomedical Services, Rendevor Dialysis

This interactive panel will showcase some of the top leaders in the dialysis industry speaking to what they are doing to combat the ever changing water challenges we are faced with today. We will also discuss what the future hold and what we need to focus on to ensured continued advances in water treatment for the safety of our dialysis patients.

Challenges in Water Treatment from the Manufacturer's Point of View

Kevin Gillespie, CEO, Isopure

Rob Kruger, Fresenius/Vivonic

Brian Priest, MarCor

Travis Tashjian, AmeriWater

This interactive panel will showcase some of the top leaders in the water treatment manufacturers speaking to what they are doing to combat the ever changing water challenges we are faced with today. We will also discuss what the future hold and what we need to focus on to ensured continued advances in water treatment for the safety of our dialysis patients.

Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

Zane Greear, Senior Director Technical Methods and Systems, Fresenius Medical Care

Brian Steers, Vice President Biomedical Services, DaVita

Curtis Woods, Leader of Biomedical Technical Operations in North America, Fresenius Medical Care

How do we make our equipment more reliable to improve outcomes for the dialysis patient. Industry-wide collaboration on equipment will have positive impact on the entire dialysis community.