New Emergency Module Available in EQRS

Apr 22

New Emergency Module Available in EQRS

On April 22, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the new Emergency Module in the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Reporting System (EQRS).

Previously, the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) team used emailed spreadsheets to collect daily Emergency Situational Status Reports (ESSRs) from dialysis facilities in areas affected by a disaster. The new EQRS Emergency Module modernizes this process. When an incident is activated, automated notifications request daily updates on facility status. Staff at affected facilities, ESRD Networks, and large dialysis organizations (LDOs) affiliated with these facilities can provide real-time reports and updates to KCER. The new process will provide KCER with the most current and accurate information from the field. This information will populate real-time dashboards and support information sharing needed to facilitate a robust and expedient response. 

This memo includes a link to the new EQRS Emergency Module User Guide. The User Guide provides detailed instructions for how to use the new EQRS Emergency Module to report Emergency Situational Status during an emergency.

In the event of an EQRS system outage during a disaster, the KCER Program will formally notify ESRD Networks, dialysis facilities, and LDOs via email and by posting an alert on the KCER website. Emergency reporting will transition to the manual ESSR process, which involves submitting data through emailed spreadsheets. This manual, paper-based process will remain in effect until EQRS functionality is restored. If additional assistance is needed to complete and/or submit manual ESSRs in the event of an EQRS system outage, please communicate with your ESRD Network directly.

CLICK HERE for EQRS Emergency Module User Guide

For assistance with EQRS technical issues, please contact the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) Service Center. The CCSQ Service Center is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time and can be reached via phone at 866-288-8912, email at qnetsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov, or online at the CCSQ Support Center.

For assistance with general EQRS and ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) questions, please contact the ESRD QIP Team via the QualityNet Q&A Tool.