Renal Health: Providing Information and Technological Tools to Empower Patients to Live Better with Kidney Disease

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing Public Health problem. Recent evidence points that low education and poor socio-economic conditions are associated with higher risk of developing CKD and progressing to dialysis or transplantation need. Hence patient empowerment through health education and qualification with technological tools that allows better treatment adherence may play an important role in the achievement of optimal clinical outcomes. The Renal Health is a multidisciplinary project created at the University of Fortaleza, northeast Brazil, in 2015, aiming to create novel educational material and technological tools for people with CKD, in different treatment modalities, including dialysis and transplant. The products developed so far in the project include an application for smartphones aiming to help patients in dialysis and transplant in their treatments, including schedule for medications, with alarms, water ingestion control, laboratory tests results, and medical appointments’ agenda, besides all information regarding CKD. The other tools include a medication box, an insole for weight control (both are in the prototype phase), connection with smartbands (for vital signs monitoring) and multimedia educational tools, including a profile in the Instagram and a channel in YouTube. Since the first release of the application in the virtual stores, there were more than 1,000 downloads, predominantly in Brazil, although the app is also available in English and Spanish. All these tools represent innovative ways of patient empowerment and may be increasingly present in daily life. Further studies are required to assess the impact of these tools in patients’ outcomes, including CKD progression and mortality.

Population knowledge on chronic kidney disease, its risk factors and means of prevention: a population-based study in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

“…Finally, a relatively large percentage of the interviewees still lacks more information about CKD, being of fundamental importance a greater spread of information about the disease, through the promotion of awareness campaigns promoted by the Ministry of Health to the least favored socioeconomically, and by a greater search for knowledge through the internet, social networks, among other sources of information by those who have access. New technologies and the use of social networks have been applied to nephrology 21 , 22 , 23 in an attempt to expand access to information about the various aspects of CKD for the general population, and it is expected that in the near future the population will have a better level of knowledge to minimize the damage caused by CKD and other chronic diseases.…”

Smartphone and application use in self-management of chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional feasibility study

“…10 There are Portuguese applications aimed at CKD patients; for example, Renal Health, which has multiple tools such as a smart medication box with reminder alarms, monthly examination charts, liquid and diet control, and general information on kidney disease. 26 Age, marital status, educational attainment, and income were associated with smartphone use. Younger, single people with higher educational attainment and income tend to have smartphones, in contrast to older, married individuals with lower educational attainment and income.…”

Exploring the Potential of Chatbots in Critical Care Nephrology

“…Chatbots may act as invaluable educational platforms for AKI patients and their caregivers, delivering guidance and backing throughout the care journey. These digital assistants might offer tailored counsel on kidney health [115,116], lifestyle modifications, and self-care practices to promote recovery or prevent further kidney damage [66,67,117].…”

“…Moreover, chatbots have the capacity to dispatch medication alerts and tackle prevalent inquiries about palliative treatment alternatives, like palliative dialysis. Employing natural language processing, chatbots might partake in dynamic dialogues, tailoring their feedback to each patient's distinct requirements and predilections [27,116,126]. Chatbots hold promise in guiding healthcare professionals in risk classification by tapping into data from EHRs and identifying patients with potential risks associated with specific treatment procedures [127].…”

“…Chatbots stand well-poised to amplify communication efficacy by providing patients and their kin with precise and dependable data about prognosis, accessible treatment avenues, and prospective outcomes [79,126,131]. Patients might engage in dialogues with the chatbot to delve deeper into the advantages and potential pitfalls aligned with diverse treatment options [116,131,132]. In addition, chatbots could play a role in documenting patients' inclinations concerning end-of-life care, revival, and medical maneuvers.…”