Improving Chronic Kidney Disease Risk Factor Screening Among Older Adults: A Quality Improvement Project

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Primary Care Medicine
• Quality Improvement Science

Background:

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening and guidelines are underutilized in primary care settings.
• Early identification of CKD is crucial for effective patient management and preventing disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a CKD education workshop and the Screening for Occult Renal Disease (SCORED) tool implementation.
• To enhance the identification of patients at risk for CKD within a primary care clinic.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project was conducted involving interprofessional clinical staff.
• An educational workshop on CKD was delivered.
• The SCORED risk assessment tool was implemented for patient screening.

Main Results:

• The SCORED risk assessment identified 92% of participating patients as being at high risk for CKD.
• The implementation of the SCORED tool reinforced knowledge of CKD risk factors among healthcare professionals.

Conclusions:

• The integration of the SCORED tool and CKD education can significantly improve the identification of at-risk individuals in primary care.
• Quality improvement initiatives are effective in enhancing CKD awareness and screening practices.