Using Shared Decision Making to Improve Kidney Transplantation Rates

Columbia University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Kidney Failure; End Stage Renal Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: Patient letters; Behavioral: Provider educational materials

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06141499

AAAU1202

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to increase shared decision-making between dialysis providers and patients in order to increase patients' probability of transplantation and to reduce socioeconomic/racial disparities in access to kidney transplantation.

Participants will receive educational material over the course of 4-6 months about different aspects of the kidney transplant and waitlisting process.

Full description

Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment choice for patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD), yet only a small proportion of patients with incident ESKD are counseled about their transplant options. Often, a smaller minority of patients reach the transplant waitlist in a timely manner. Increasing the likelihood of transplantation for patients with ESKD can lead to longer survival, better quality of life, and reduced costs of care.

The kidney transplant and waitlist process is a complex and multi-step process that occurs over an extended period of time. This process involves transitions of care between multiple providers and requires patients to be proactive in their medical evaluations.

This study will deliver educational materials to dialysis care teams and provide quarterly, personalized informational letters to patients, with the aim of increasing shared decision-making between patients and providers by giving them the information needed to initiate conversations about kidney transplantation.

Enrollment: 37 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• On a waitlist or undergoing an evaluation at the Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital (CU/NYPH) Transplant Center or at the Cleveland Clinic (CC)

• Receiving hemodialysis at one of the following dialysis clinics:

  • Fresenius Kidney Care City Dialysis
  • DaVita Kidney Care Haven Dialysis
  • DaVita Melrose Dialysis
  • DaVita Highbridge Dialysis
  • Rogosin Institute East Side Dialysis Unit
  • Rogosin Institute West Side Dialysis Unit

Exclusion criteria

• Speaking a language other than English or Spanish
• Younger than 18 years of age

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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37 participants in 2 patient groups

Providers

Experimental group

Description:

Dialysis providers will receive educational material about the kidney transplantation and waitlisting process.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Provider educational materials

Patients

Experimental group

Description:

Dialysis patients will receive letters with information about their status within the kidney transplantation and waitlisting process.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Patient letters