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The United States Renal Data System (USRDS) is a national data system that collects, analyzes, and distributes information about end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. The USRDS is funded directly by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, formerly HCFA). USRDS staff collaborates with members of CMS, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), and the ESRD networks, sharing datasets and actively working to improve the accuracy of ESRD patient information.

i.1 · Administrative oversight of the USRDS

The Coordinating Center (CC) of the USRDS is operated under a contract with the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation. The USRDS also includes four Special Study Centers (SSCs): the Economic SSC is headed by Lawrence Hunsicker and John Brooks at the University of Iowa, the Nutrition SSC by Glen Chertow and George Kaysen at the University of California at San Francisco, the Rehabilitation and Quality of Life SSC by Nancy Kutner and Donna Brogan at Emory University, and the Cardiovascular SSC by Charles Herzog and Blanche Chavers at the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation.

Along with producing the Annual Data Report on End-Stage Renal Disease in the United States, the USRDS also produces the Researcher’s Guide, fulfills data requests, provides standard analysis files and specialized datasets to researchers, and presents the results of its research at national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. Details on these products can be found on our Products page. more>>