The hidden threat: Primary care-driven strategies for earlier chronic kidney disease detection in Australia

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing and underdiagnosed public health challenge. General practitioners are central to early detection, yet missed opportunities persist. Evidence suggests up to 90% of stage 3 CKD remains unrecorded, despite simple, cost-effective screening and treatment that slows progression. With a projected 39% rise in the number of Australians with stage 3-5 CKD by 2034, immediate action is required.

Three roundtable meetings were conducted across Australia with 35 primary care providers and kidney experts to identify barriers and supporting solutions to increase CKD detection and diagnosis.

Six themes were identified to improve early CKD detection: (1) education, audits and supportive technologies; (2) guideline harmonisation and a unified risk calculator; (3) automated pathology integrated into practice software, linked to the CKD management in primary care handbook and decision tools; (4) defined CKD codes reflecting staging and cause; (5) multidisciplinary communication and models of care; and (6) government policy and advocacy to raise public awareness.