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ASN
increases knowledge of Geriatric Kidney
Disease
Newswise — The fastest-growing group of
patients initiating dialysis is patients 75
years old and older; providing the best care
for this group of patients presents
significant challenges. The American Society
of Nephrology (ASN) introduces the
first-ever online curriculum to address
aging and the kidney.
The curriculum, based on the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)’s
six core competences of patient care,
medical knowledge, practice-based learning
and improvement, interpersonal and
communication skills, professionalism, and
systems-based practice, answers questions
about the management of elderly patients.
Twenty-five percent of institutions with
accredited US nephrology training programs
do not have accredited geriatric training
programs, but the Accreditation Council for
Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has
mandated that fellows receive formal
training in geriatric nephrology.
The ASN online curriculum will serve as a
primary source of educational material for
geriatric nephrology training nationwide.
Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos, MD, PhD, and
Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCh served as co-chairs
of the Geriatrics Task Force and oversaw
development of the curriculum. “Caring for
elderly patients with end-stage renal
disease (ESRD) is an issue of growing
importance.
There remain many unanswered questions about
the management of elderly patients with ESRD.
This text will help nephrologists in
training and those in practice improve and
refine their approaches to the care of
elderly kidney patients,” said Dr.
Oreopoulos.
A grant was provided by the Association of
Specialty Professors (ASP) for this
curriculum, which includes 38 chapters on
various aspects of geriatric nephrology.
The online resources will be expanded over
the next few months to include power point
presentations that distill the information
written in each chapter. The entire
curriculum will be freely available for
anyone to access and utilize.
ASN understands the importance of treating
the geriatric nephrology population and also
collaborates with ASP on three additional
endeavors:
1. ASN partners with the Association of
Specialty Professors (ASP) to offer the ASN-ASP
Junior Development Grant in Geriatric
Nephrology.
Since 2003, ASN and ASP have funded more
than seven junior nephrologists who have
decided to focus their research careers on
issues related to the geriatric aspects of
nephrology. In 2008, there were two
recipients of this grant, Steven G. Coca,
DO, and Lisa M. Nanovic, DO.
2. ASN and ASP collaborated with the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to hold
the “ASN-ASP Workshop on Prediction,
Progression, and Outcomes of Chronic Kidney
Disease in Older Adults.”
This workshop, which took place in May 2008,
was intended to increase NIH funding for the
geriatric aspects of nephrology. ASP
provided ASN funding for four fellows to
attend and participate in the workshop.
3. ASP also provided ASN with a $15,000
grant to fund an In-Depth Nephrology Course
focused on the geriatric aspects of
nephrology.
The course, “Geriatric Nephrology: An
Epidemiologic and Clinical Challenge,” was
held at Renal Week 2008. For 2009, this
course will be repeated and will follow the
chapters of the geriatric nephrology
curriculum listed above. Talks from the 2008
course are available on the ASN website.
Founded in 1966, the American Society of
Nephrology (ASN) is the world’s largest
professional society devoted to the study of
kidney disease.
Comprised of 11,000 physicians and
scientists, ASN continues to promote expert
patient care, advance medical research, and
educate the renal community.
ASN also informs policymakers about issues
of importance to kidney doctors and their
patients. ASN funds research, and through
its world-renowned meetings and first-class
publications, disseminates information and
educational tools that empower physicians.
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