Background and objectives Patient self-management has been shown to improve health outcomes. We developed a smartphone-based system to boost self-care by patients with CKD and integrated its use into usual CKD care. We determined its acceptability and examined changes in several clinical parameters.Design, setting, participants, & measurements We recruited patients with stage 4 or 5 CKD attending outpatient renal clinics who responded to a general information newsletter about this 6-month proof-of-principle study. The smartphone application targeted four behavioral elements: monitoring BP, medication management, symptom assessment, and tracking laboratory results. Prebuilt customizable algorithms provided real-time personalized patient feedback and alerts to providers when predefined treatment thresholds were crossed or critical changes occurred. Those who died or started RRT within the first 2 months were replaced. Only participants followed for 6 months after recruitment were included in assessing changes in clinical measures. ResultsIn total, 47 patients (26 men; mean age =59 years old; 33% were $65 years old) were enrolled; 60% had never used a smartphone. User adherence was high (.80% performed $80% of recommended assessments) and sustained. The mean reductions in home BP readings between baseline and exit were statistically significant (systolic BP, 23.4 mmHg; 95% confidence interval, 25.0 to 21.8 and diastolic BP, 22.1 mmHg; 95% confidence interval, 22.9 to 21.2); 27% with normal clinic BP readings had newly identified masked hypertension. One hundred twenty-seven medication discrepancies were identified; 59% were medication errors that required an intervention to prevent harm. In exit interviews, patients indicated feeling more confident and in control of their condition; clinicians perceived patients to be better informed and more engaged.Conclusions Integrating a smartphone-based self-management system into usual care of patients with advanced CKD proved feasible and acceptable, and it appeared to be clinically useful. The results provide a strong rationale for a randomized, controlled trial.

New healthcare delivery models are needed to enhance the patient experience and improve quality of care for individuals with chronic conditions such as kidney disease. One potential avenue is to implement self-management strategies. There is growing evidence that self-management interventions help optimize various aspects of chronic disease management. With the increasing use of information technology (IT) in health care, chronic disease management programs are incorporating IT solutions to support patient self-management practices. IT solutions have the ability to promote key principles of self-management, namely education, empowerment, and collaboration. Positive clinical outcomes have been demonstrated for a number of chronic conditions when IT solutions were incorporated into self-management programs. There is a paucity of evidence for self-management in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Furthermore, IT strategies have not been tested in this patient population to the same extent as other chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension). Therefore, it is currently unknown if IT strategies will promote self-management behaviors and lead to improvements in overall patient care. We designed and developed an IT solution called My KidneyCare Centre to support self-management strategies for patients with CKD. In this review, we discuss the rationale and vision of incorporating an electronic self-management tool to support the care of patients with CKD.

Results of this study demonstrate that, in patients with ESRD, DRPs on admission are frequently related to gaps in medication information transfer between healthcare professionals and also between healthcare providers and patients. Improved communication is required at medication information transfer interfaces to prevent these DRPs.

Background: Collaborative management of kidney disease relies on coordinated and effective partnerships between multiple provider teams. Siloed care contributes to limited access between physicians, resulting in delays in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease and inappropriate use of healthcare resources. These gaps contribute to dissatisfied and disempowered providers and patients. Digital systems such as eConsult can support collaborative management and address these gaps, thereby streamlining the consultation and referral process between primary care physicians (PCPs) and nephrologists. In this study, we evaluated an established eConsult platform integrated with a central triage process for a network of PCPs and nephrologists. The study aimed to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and impact on access to nephrology when using eConsult integrated into the management of kidney disease between PCPs and nephrologists. Methods: We conducted a 1-year pilot study and used mixed methods to measure the acceptability and feasibility of using eConsult for the management of kidney disease. We compared eConsult and traditional referrals with respect to types of consultation, referrals, and times to response to determine impact on access to kidney care. We conducted semi-structured interviews of PCPs and nephrologists to assess physician experience. Results: From January 8, 2018, to January 11, 2019, 52 PCPs and 23 nephrologists participated in the study, with 250 traditional referrals and 106 eConsults submitted during that period. The median response time for eConsult was 15 (3–64) h, with 25% originating outside the central Toronto region. The median time to first clinic appointment from a traditional referral was 4 months (111 [61–163] days). PCP and nephrologist interviews revealed high user satisfaction, citing efficiency and timely response as key facilitators. Conclusion: The eConsult platform was acceptable, feasible, and facilitated access to nephrology care compared to traditional referrals. Physicians report improvements in physician care delivery, nephrology care gaps, patient experience, and healthcare utilization.