Conference : SA Renal Society Forums : Discussion forums for members of the SA Renal Society and other interested colleagues. http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/ Dear Colleagues Of late several spammers have joined the Forum to post the advertisments. They ,and their messages, have been deleted. Until now, registering has been kept very simple to encourage participation, but we are going to change this so that only the administrator(s) may activate or add users. Regards Razeen http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=6CE79B8F-3048-2906-EA8C28F5B195870F&r=1 2007-01-29T10:10:22--02:00 Spam on SARS Forums I agree with Errol that the full conversion of SARS into a proper professional body with proper instituted accreditation etc will take more than 6 monthly meetings. Otherwise we risk having these important issues imposed on us by other bodies. This has already started to happen with the BHF who are now leading the way with accreditation. I suppose standing committees are a compromise, but if these are not efficient I would still support the creation of a SANC, falling under the auspices of SARS of course. Certainly if the committee elected on Sat in PE (Vakhting, Ivor, Peter Hsu etc) have not made concrete gains in terms of accreditation, we need to rethink our strategies. http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=339C8FD4-3048-2906-EA5B7AA641EF7B50&r=2 2006-11-29T15:44:53--02:00 Creation of a separate SA Nephrology Consortium Hi I would not support a separate organisation - we are too small and will lose critical mass. It may also serve to emphasize or create lines of division between private and public sector nephrologists. At present we work very well together and we should be prepared to support worthy initiatives, irrespective of whether it affects us directly or not. However, to improve our efficiency it may be useful to create standing committees who have a fair degree of autonomy. The cardiologists do this very successfully -they have standing committees for Ethics & Guidelines, Private Practice, Education, and Full-Time Salaried Practice etc. Then persons leading efforts such as their newsletter, journal and cath lab registry. See http://www.saheart.org/standingcommittees.html. Regards Razeen http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=339C8FD4-3048-2906-EA5B7AA641EF7B50&r=3 2006-11-29T15:26:46--02:00 Creation of a separate SA Nephrology Consortium Herewith a letter sent to me by Errol Gottlich that he wanted me to circulate: I think that he is right, for my 2 cents! May I summarize some issues from Saturdays meeting and perhaps you can circulate it to other involved SARS members if you so wish 1. Functionality of SARS There appears to be a blurring of the mandate of SARS (as I understand it). As I see it, SARS is a representative body of interested individuals involved in renal care. The main focus should be academic promotion of renal services within forums such as guidelines, meetings, congresses etc probably driven mainly by the academic units with input from the private sector. Obviously practical business issues have now emerged and SARS is trying its best to deal with them by using a committee structure. Having experienced other specialties in this situation, the lesson to be learnt is that SARS should not, in my opinion, be managing these issues. I would strongly suggest copying the very successful oncology (and other specialties  ENT, Paeds, Gynaes, and Ophthalmologists etc) model and consider forming an organization called the South African Nephrology Consortium (SANC) to deal with these matters. The SAOC deals with business matters and the Oncology society deals with academic issues. Independence from SARS would therefore be an advantage as SARS is not the appropriate structure. Members of the SANC would be limited only to state and private doctors who provide renal care and the SANC would probably be led mostly from private with input from academic centres. The SANC would have an executive body and would appoint (and fund from individual contributions) an agent (Healthman or a full or part-time employee with PA backup) in order to deal with non-academic day-to-day business issues such as · Professional and dialysis unit accreditation · IT solution · Review of coding, fee structure and remuneration for nephrologists · Negotiations with Government, CoMS, BHF and the medical schemes in regard to the above 3 listed items These are all urgent requirements and if left within a committee/SARS structure will not happen soon or well enough. 1. Accreditation The South African Oncology Consortium (SAOC) addressed accreditation in the following way · They linked payment of a facility to a requirement for SAOC accreditation. This was agreed to by the Council of medical Schemes (CoMS) who legislated this in the medical aid code description · The SAOC drew up accreditation criteria and got BHF to sign them off · These criteria were circulated to all units in order for them to become compliant  in many cases it was a costly (but necessary) investment · The SAOC appointed an accrediting body to physically accredit units and will continue to accredit on a 2  3 yearly basis (am not sure exactly on the time gap). · All units had to pay for the accrediting process individually · There was a 1-year grace period given for the accreditation process to be completed. · The list of accredited units is circulated to all medical aids on a regular basis · Medical aids are not allowed to fund non-accredited units once the grace period has expired. · The criteria can obviously be dynamic in order to accommodate change I would suggest the accrediting committee meet with Dr Martyn Schickerling from the SAOC 1. IT solution The requirements when it comes down to issues such as data collection, registry, fee negotiation, research etc are all becoming very dependant on some basic electronic solution. My advice in this regard is for me to introduce SARS to senior IT specialists at Discovery and for them to advise us what really needs to be done and to direct us on how to start working towards a solution. Best regards Errol http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=339C8FD4-3048-2906-EA5B7AA641EF7B50&r=4 2006-11-29T14:07:15--02:00 Creation of a separate SA Nephrology Consortium Hi there I would have no objection if you have a demo of BART running on a computer in the foyer or tea area at the next Forum. People have heard of it but few have had their hands on it. Regards Razeen http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=29464447-3048-2906-EAB7B88FAF3745E7&r=5 2006-11-27T15:29:23--02:00 Port Elizabeth Dear All, It has come to our attention that many think we used the PE Forum to promote our own business interests ie computerised software systems. We apologise for this. We certainly do not make personal gain from the systems we have helped design and meant them to be employed for the good of the society. Funds generated either from drug companies or individual units will always be put back into further development. Trevor and Ivor http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=29464447-3048-2906-EAB7B88FAF3745E7&r=6 2006-11-27T14:54:34--02:00 Port Elizabeth Many thanks to all involved in the Port Elizabeth Forum. It was an enjoyable weekend and seemed to fly past far too quickly. Look forwards to seeing everyone in May in Johannesburg again. We are planning to make it more business orientated, but hopefully with helpful info/presentations from units around the country. Regards Trevor http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=29464447-3048-2906-EAB7B88FAF3745E7&r=7 2006-11-27T13:56:48--02:00 Port Elizabeth The proposed changes are on the website and will be discussed at the Forum in PE. Suggestions: I think the last paragraph under Membership should make it clear that new members may join at any time between congresses. Be specific about voting rights for categories other than Ordinary Members. I would suggest adding: "Only Ordinary Members in good standing shall be entitled to vote and/or hold office in the Society." Razeen http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=ED0D9875-3048-2906-EA3CF4C5D50A37EA&r=8 2006-11-15T21:17:41--02:00 Constitutional amendments Hello I am Dr Theo Mothoa, Medical Manager for Recormon in SA. Those were exactly my thoughts regarding CKD statistics in SA, thank you for the verification. Regards http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=AAF58BF6-3048-2906-EA03D5183CA710CB&r=9 2006-07-31T08:52:17--02:00 CKD Statistics in South Africa The simple answer is that there is no answer to this question. We do not have these statistics for South Africa and need to extrapolate from other countries at present (eg USA (NHANES) and the Netherlands (PREVEND) By the way, who are you new member mothoat? Regards, Trevor http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=AAF58BF6-3048-2906-EA03D5183CA710CB&r=10 2006-07-30T10:10:55--02:00 CKD Statistics in South Africa Dear all I would like to know what the current estimates for the prevalance and incidence rates of CKD in South Africa are and what proportion of patients are in Stages 3-5. Regards http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=AAF58BF6-3048-2906-EA03D5183CA710CB&r=11 2006-07-26T15:10:54--02:00 CKD Statistics in South Africa Dear all I would like to know what the current estimates for the prevalance and incidence rates of CKD in South Africa are and what proportion of patients are in Stages 3-5. Regards http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=DB5D4D7E-3048-2906-EA2FF708DE535EFF&r=12 2006-07-26T14:36:27--02:00 Hemodialysis and HIV Hi, Suggest you contact SARS president, Indiran Naicker, or secretary Nomandla Madala, who are both based in Dbn - ipn@wol.co.za and madalan@nu.ac.za. Also Heilie Uys, SA Renal Care Society President at huys@ibi.co.za. Regards Razeen Davids http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=0E88526E-3048-2906-EA1A5BBE3E21E839&r=13 2006-06-26T13:00:45--02:00 Visit to S. Africa I am the nursing head of a satellite dialysis unit in Australia. I moved to Australia 15 years ago from South Africa. I trained at Addington, and worked in the renal unit there before the move to Aus. I am planning to visit Durban in 2007, preferably in the first half of the year, maybe around March or April, and am keen to catch up with what is happening in Haemodialysis in S. Africa. Does anyone know of any conferences / meetings that would be of any value to attend? I would also be very happy to contribute to any conferences / meetings about haemodialysis in Australia. http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=0E88526E-3048-2906-EA1A5BBE3E21E839&r=14 2006-06-26T06:10:50--02:00 Visit to S. Africa Hi there Zunaid, I think the most interesting questions are: 1. which of the HIV related nephropathies are caused by HIV itself 2. which of these conditions will benefit from ARV's (knowing that although you may clear the virus from the blood stream, it still has the ability to lurk in other places (eg the kidney?) We are really in a great position to answer many of these issues. It would also be helpful, in this post ARV era, to work out the exact role of steroids PS: I cannot get through to your email Zunaid, but will take (y)our patient with pleasure. Please just send her with a brief letter to our Wed clinic tg http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=375C4B3A-3048-2906-EA91561F6677520B&r=15 2006-05-23T14:56:58--02:00 HIV nephropathy Congratulations to all involved in the above study. I've not read the article, but did hear the talk at the recent SARS meeting in Cape Town. It is an important contribution in the field where not much has been published, especially from an African perspective. We have started a study at GSH and GF Jooste Hospital looking at patients with HIV, renal disease and there response to anti-retrovirals (in conjunction with ACE-I). I would appreciate any advise/input. Zunaid. http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=375C4B3A-3048-2906-EA91561F6677520B&r=16 2006-05-15T14:33:59--02:00 HIV nephropathy Congratulations to Trevor and his co-authors. I just want to add that the Forum must not forget to include the paediatric population. Warm regards Bhimma http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=375C4B3A-3048-2906-EA91561F6677520B&r=17 2006-05-15T13:40:55--02:00 HIV nephropathy Thanks Julian Dr Han also got an article in describing his experience. I agree that we should become the leaders in treating these conditions (HIVAN and HIVICK). I think the next step would be for all interested parties to get together and devise a classifiation system for "HIV related nephropathies/CKD" before we start evaluating treatment options. Maybe this Forum itself could achieve plenty Regards,m Trevor http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=375C4B3A-3048-2906-EA91561F6677520B&r=18 2006-05-15T11:43:06--02:00 HIV nephropathy Congratulations to Trevor and the "Bara" team for the article in K.I. "HIV-related nephropathy: A South African perspective T E Gerntholtz, S J W Goetsch, I Katz Kidney International (19 Apr 2006)" We should be in future become the leaders in management of HIVAN with all the available pathology. Should we look at setting up combined studies and treatment protocols? Julian http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=375C4B3A-3048-2906-EA91561F6677520B&r=19 2006-05-15T11:24:23--02:00 HIV nephropathy Hi Guys I agree that JHB is the best option - biggest available venue for congress but most importantly for accommodation too. Price wise it is also probably one of the cheaper options around the country - with Cape Town the most expensive at present - reason for our change of venue 3 mths before congress - not really an option for you. I would agree with Mike's caution in that you should just look at the costing - but then you are old hat at this and the SARS 2004 in JHB was great. Just check with ISN that they will not be using their own conference organisers by then. I found myself on the SAPA(paeds assoc) exec - who have won the bid for the IPA(international paeds ass) congress in 2010 and they will have IPA manage this on their behalf and carry the financial risk! Quite a few of the big international groups are going this route - not sure if ISN will be looking at this? best wishes and good luck - have fun! Mignon http://www.sa-renalsociety.org/forums/messages.cfm?threadid=2206A864-3048-2906-EAD31A120C570295&r=20 2006-04-27T00:12:00--02:00 BIDDING FOR WORLD CONGRESS OF NEPHROLOGY