A web-based application for initial screening of living kidney donors: development, implementation and evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Traditional methods for screening living kidney donor candidates rely on phone or written surveys.
• These conventional methods can be resource-intensive and may limit accessibility for potential donors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed web-based application for screening living kidney donor candidates.
• To assess the impact of the application on donor self-referral rates and screening efficiency.

Main Methods:

• A web-based application was implemented for initial screening of living kidney donor candidates.
• Data on referral methods, demographic characteristics, and usage patterns were collected and analyzed.
• Time series analyses were used to evaluate trends in self-referrals before and after implementation.

Main Results:

• 67% of 1200 self-referred candidates completed the web-based survey, compared to 33% using phone surveys.
• The web-based application saw a statistically significant increase in self-referrals (p < 0.001).
• Total monthly self-referrals increased significantly from 61 to 116 post-implementation (p = 0.025).

Conclusions:

• An interactive web-based application is an effective tool for the initial screening of living kidney donor candidates.
• The application improved donor engagement, streamlined processing, and boosted self-referral numbers.
• Implementing web-based screening enhances efficiency and accessibility in living donor programs.