How is Telenephrology Enhancing Renal Healthcare?

Alex D'Souza, Medical Tech Outlook | Saturday, March 14, 2020

Telenephrology will bridge distance and provide renal treatment and education to the isolated in nephrology, where there is an increasing disparity between the geographic position of nephrologists and patients with kidney disease.

FREMONT, CA : Because of their simplicity, electronic-based healthcare delivery systems are gaining popularity among patients and clinicians. Importantly, telemedicine, or the electronic distribution of healthcare and health records, may provide primary and personalized health care to geographically remote patients, who make up approximately 20 percent of the US population. Telenephrology will bridge distance and provide renal treatment and education to the isolated in nephrology, where there is an increasing disparity between the geographic position of nephrologists and patients with kidney disease.

Telenephrology has been at the forefront of large nationalized healthcare systems, where incentives are aligned to develop and introduce new platforms to provide cost-effective care. These systems include synchronous direct physician-patient care through clinical videoconferencing and asynchronous modalities, including electronic consultation and video telehealth for internists to learn about specialized clinical topics. These platforms are being adopted as independent programs by large health care organizations; nevertheless, penetration into the private health care sector has been hampered by reimbursement, regulations, and other issues.

Although telenephrology is patient-centered, more research is required to determine its clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Despite this, the telenephrology room will continue to grow as consumer demand for patient-centered health care grows.

Various Modalities of Telenephrology Employed for Renal Healthcare and Education

Office-based and home-based CVTa: CVT connects patients and nephrology providers via high-speed internet lines to deliver nephrologic expertise.

e-Consultation

e-Consultation allows a PCP to request a nephrology consultation through the EHR for a specific query that does not entail an in-person assessment.

SCAN-ECHOa

A provider-to-provider video conferencing network with the primary goal of connecting PCPs in rural or remote clinics with nephrologists at tertiary-care hospitals in real time.

e-Kidney Clinica

Web-based nephrology education for students in grades 5 to 6, divided into simple learning modules (for example, nutrition and social work services) in written and graphic format, with narrative video vignettes to complement the material.

Kidney Mobile/Smartphone Applications

Patients may use mobile devices, such as the internet and smartphones, to access educational websites, check health data (such as blood pressure, pulse, and blood glucose), and set up prescriptions, clinical reminders, and other health notifications. The data can be viewed as graphs and shared with the health care provider to aid in renal control.

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