When I was in medical school, I did a senior rotation working for a man who was a wonderful physiologist with a gift for bedside manner. He was a psychiatrist, an engineer and a politician. He did more than anyone I knew. He was a nephrologist, and he inspired me to go into the practice.

While I may not be able to take apart and fix a dialysis machine like he did in 1965, I hope to bring some of his passion for patient advocacy, quality care and safety to the practice of nephrology as I assume the role of RPA president.

As a member of RPA for more than 10 years, I have seen the organization grow to be one of the best medical associations in the country. I am both honored and fortunate to be leading such a robust organization at this exciting time in its development.

Unlike other similar associations whose missions are broader, RPA consistently maintains its focus on advancing and advocating for nephrology practice. With the numbers of clinical  nephrologists not keeping pace with a growing patient base, RPA has kept its eye on the ball, continuing to listen to members, delineate appropriate priorities and develop strategic initiatives to fulfill the membership’s mandates.

I believe that’s why RPA has seen a rise in membership from physicians, practice managers, physicians’ assistants, and advanced practice nurses over the past few years. These practitioners have come to understand the value that RPA membership adds to their practices.

First, RPA has learned that in order to have successful patient outcomes, nephrology practices themselves must be successful, which means having access to the latest business tools and knowing how to use them. Responding to that need, RPA offers members the opportunity to participate in nephrology-specific business education programs, such as the nephrology coding and billing seminars. With frequent changes in the complex world of coding, members know they can get reliable, timely information at the seminars, which are held in 12 locations across the country throughout the year.

Another valuable and popular program that RPA offers its members are two different two-day CME-accredited courses held in conjunction with Duke University’s The Fuqua School of Business: one on business management principles and one on leadership, negotiations, and practice operations. Nephrologists and practice managers may attend one or both of these programs, depending on their needs.

RPA is also on the forefront of federal advocacy, with representatives educating policymakers about the issues that affect both patients and nephrology practice. We have participated in frequent and useful conversations with those responsible for administering end-stage renal disease (ESRD) programs, and I plan to expand our sphere of influence regarding issues related to chronic kidney disease (CKD) by broadening RPA’s presence in that arena.

We have created a task force to develop a strategic approach to treating pre-dialysis Stage IV and V CKD patients in the office setting and we’re exploring the possibilities for reimbursement for the basket of services required to care for CKD patients.

As I look to the future of the industry, I am excited about the long-term contribution RPA will make in the areas of patient health and safety, which are my passions. As any health care provider knows, taking a patient’s temperature is one of the first steps toward treatment and improvement, and that’s what we have done with the first-ever ESRD Patient Health and Safety Survey. As chairman of RPA’s ESRD Patient Safety Initiative Evaluation Advisory Committee (EAC), which oversaw the groundbreaking health and safety survey, I have been privileged to see the complete survey results, which we intend to publish in an upcoming medical journal.

The results point to some specific areas where dialysis centers can make concrete improvements, such as reducing medication errors and omissions, and preventing patient falls. Knowing the areas where we need to make changes will allow us to focus our efforts and improve patient safety exponentially. And now that we have a benchmark in place, we will be able to measure our progress and identify “best practices” that will improve patient health and safety across the industry. I’m proud to have had a hand in that.

My top priority as RPA president will be to continue the association’s tradition of listening and responding to members, and taking action where it’s needed. I spoke with a number of you at the annual meeting and I hope to hear from you throughout the coming months about ways we can increase membership, enhance member services, improve patient outcomes, recruit more physicians to nephrology practice, and better our existing practices.

I would like to thank you for putting your trust in me for the next two years. I am honored to be part of RPA, and I look forward to serving as president.

Sincerely,

Alan S. Kliger, MD

President