CONSUMER-PRIORITISED QUALITY INDICATOR OUTCOMES IN KIDNEY FAILURE CARE
Dr Christopher Davies1,2, E DUNCANSON1,3, S MUTHURAMALINGAM1, J MAZIS1, E JOHNS1, K MCCOLM1, Z TASEVSKI1, N GRAY1,4,5, S MCDONALD1,2,6
1Australia & New Zealand Dialysis & Transplant Registry (ANZDATA), South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia, 2Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, 3School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, 4Renal Unit, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Australia, 5School of Health, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia, 6Central & Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Services (CNARTS), Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
Aim: To determine the importance of various quality indicators of kidney failure care to people with lived experience of kidney disease.
Background: The Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) publishes reports that compare units on their quality of care. There is little knowledge of the importance of various quality indicator outcomes in dialysis and transplant care according to consumers.
Methods: An online survey of consumers was conducted from August 2023 to April 2024. Participants were asked about the importance of seven quality indicators in the areas of dialysis and kidney transplantation that are currently reported by ANZDATA (dialysis patient survival, haemodialysis access at initiation, timely referral to nephrologist [three or more months prior to first kidney replacement therapy (KRT)], access to transplantation, transplant patient survival, graft survival and peritonitis infection rates).
Results: 243 consumers (55% kidney transplant recipients, 31% receiving dialysis) responded about the importance of at least one of the quality indicators. The mean age of respondents was 59 years (SD 13y) and 50% were female.
Access to transplantation was rated the most important quality indicator overall (71% responded important or higher), with importance of other indicators in descending order being: graft survival (61%), transplant patient survival (55%), timely referral (52%), dialysis patient survival (49%), peritonitis infection rates (43%) and haemodialysis access at initiation (38%). Access to transplantation was rated the most important quality indicator among kidney transplant recipients, people receiving dialysis and people with kidney disease not receiving KRT.
Conclusions: Consumer-prioritised quality indicators will be used to inform consumer-friendly reporting. Kidney units should appreciate the importance of access to transplantation to consumers and prioritise efforts to improve in this metric.
Presentation Slides PDF – Click here
Biography:
Dr Christopher Davies is the Lead Biostatistician at the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) within the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. At ANZDATA, Christopher provides statistical support for the generation of regular reports and the extraction of data for custom external requests. Christopher also conducts analyses for ANZDATA research projects and in collaboration with those in the nephrology community. Christopher completed a PhD in Statistics at the University of Adelaide, focussing on group-based trajectory modelling. His research interests include methods for comparing centres, and for longitudinal data.