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Under the Comprehensive End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Care (CEC) Model, dialysis facilities and nephrologists form ESRD Seamless Care Organizations (ESCOs) to deliver high value care. This study compared the characteristics of patients and markets served and unserved by CEC and assessed its generalizability. ESCOs operated in 65 of 384 markets. ESCO markets were larger than non-ESCO markets, had fewer White patients, higher household income, and higher Medicare spending per patient. Patients in ESCOs were similar to eligible nonaligned patients in age and sex but differed in race/ethnicity and were more often treated in an urban area; comorbidity prevalence differed modestly. CEC is available to a meaningful share of the dialysis population and relatively few dialysis patients resided in a market where no provider could meet the participation threshold, so market size may not be the primary barrier for potential new participants in CEC or future kidney care models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this qualitative study was to better understand facilitators and barriers to depression screening for older adults. Methods: We conducted 43 focus groups with 102 providers and 247 beneficiaries or proxies: 13 focus groups with Medicare providers, 28 with older Medicare beneficiaries, and 2 with caregivers of older Medicare beneficiaries. Each focus group was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using principles of grounded theory. Results: There was widespread consensus among beneficiary and provider focus group participants that depression screening was important. However, several barriers interfered with effective depression screening, including stigma, lack of resources for treatment referrals, and lack of time during medical encounters. Positive communication with providers and an established relationship with a trusted provider were primary facilitators for depression screening. Providers who took the time to put their beneficiaries at ease and used conversational language rather than clinical terms appeared to have the most success in eliciting beneficiary honesty about depressive symptoms. Respondents stressed the need for providers to be attentive, concerned, non-judgmental, and respectful. Conclusion: Findings indicate that using person-centered approaches to build positive communication and trust between beneficiaries and providers could be an effective strategy for improving depression screening. Better screening can lead to higher rates of diagnosis and treatment of depression that could enhance quality of life for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]