A team of clinical researchers are participating in a Duke University-led study on how patient-centered health system interventions can help patients make informed decisions concerning kidney failure treatments. The study is supported by a $5.6 million 2015 funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) http://pcori.org.
Kidney failure affects more than 115,000 adults in the U.S every year. Patients who develop this condition must choose from a variety of treatments, such as dialysis or a kidney transplant. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages that may vary depending on the individual.
Unfortunately kidney failure often occurs before patients are aware of the extent of their illness, forcing them to quickly make decisions with lifelong consequences without being fully prepared or able to make informed decisions.
The randomized controlled study funded by PCORI titled “Putting Patients at the Center of Kidney Care Transitions” will use a new care strategy to help patients understand their risks of kidney failure, understand their treatment options, obtain needed support, and choose treatments that are aligned with their personal values.
L. Ebony Boulware, M.D., Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at Duke and Principal Investigator of the study along with Jamie Green M.D., Geisinger physician will lead the study with researchers from Geisinger www.geisinger.org, Duke www.dukemedicine.org , and Johns Hopkins www.hopkinsmedicine.org.