Continuous quality improvement: improving hemodialysis catheter patency using urokinase.

Opportunities for improvements in patient outcomes through applied continuous quality improvement (CQI) programs are endless and exciting. Improving vascular access outcomes has been a long-standing clinical problem for hemodialysis patients and the nephrology team. During the past few years there has been a dramatic increase in the use of dialysis catheters as permanent accesses for hemodialysis patients. All hemodialysis with dialysis catheters are at risk for catheter occlusion. An innovative, 2-year CQI program was developed, implemented, and designed to improve dialysis catheter patency rates with the use of urokinase. The CQI program resulted in a number of clinical outcomes that were beneficial to the patients and dialysis staff, and were cost-effective to the program.