Changing European CKD trends: a call to action
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1Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK. Lesley.Bennett@orh.nhs.uk
Insights
The rising number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients needing renal replacement therapy strains healthcare resources. Proactive policy changes and improved collaboration are essential to ensure quality care for all patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Public Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Growing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients requiring renal replacement therapy.
- Increasing healthcare costs associated with CKD management outpacing available budgets.
- Threat of overwhelming nephrology professionals and dialysis units across Europe.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the impending crisis in healthcare delivery due to increasing CKD patient numbers.
- To advocate for new policies ensuring continued quality care at all levels.
- To identify common issues and potential solutions for managing CKD patients.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current trends in CKD and renal replacement therapy.
- Identification of common challenges in healthcare structure, process, and outcomes.
- Review of country-specific requirements and successful model programs.
Main Results:
- Healthcare systems face significant strain from a rising CKD patient population.
- Key issues include professional education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and funding allocation.
- Adaptable model programs exist in some countries.
Conclusions:
- Proactive and strategic interventions are urgently needed by the nephrology community.
- Policy changes must focus on improving healthcare structure, process, and outcomes.
- International, national, and local collaboration is crucial for sustainable CKD care.
Abstract:
Increasing numbers of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who require renal replacement therapy threaten to overwhelm nephrologists, nephrology nurses, and haemodialysis units in many European countries. Health care costs are increasing more rapidly than corresponding budgets. These changing trends mandate new policies to provide continued quality care for more patients at international, national, and local levels. Although individual countries have different requirements regarding health care systems, approaches must be taken that improve structure, process, and outcome. Common issues include improving professional education, increasing collaboration among health care providers and specialists, and the acquisition and allocation of funds. Solutions identified by some countries provide examples of model programs that could be adapted for others. The impending crisis that more and older patients with serious comorbidities and CKD will impose on health care delivery must be addressed now in a proactive manner by the nephrology health care community.
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