Implementing a Formalized Risk-Based Approach to Determine Candidacy for Multidisciplinary CKD Care: A Descriptive Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: The kidney failure risk equation (KFRE) can be used to predict progression to end-stage kidney disease in a clinical setting. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate implementation of a formalized risk-based approach in nephrologists’ outpatient clinics and multidisciplinary chronic kidney disease (CKD) clinics to determine candidacy for multidisciplinary care, and the impact of CKD care selection on clinical outcomes. DESIGN: Population-based descriptive cohort study. SETTING: Alberta Kidney Care South. PATIENTS: Adults attending or considered for a multidisciplinary CKD clinic between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2019. MEASUREMENTS: Exposure—The course of CKD care assigned by the nephrologist: management at multidisciplinary CKD clinic; management by a nephrologist or primary care physician. Primary Outcome—CKD progression, defined as commencement of kidney replacement therapy (KRT). Secondary Outcomes—Death, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. METHODS: We linked operational data from the clinics (available until March 31, 2019) with administrative health and laboratory data (available until March 31, 2020). Comparisons among patient groups, courses of care, and clinical settings with negative binomial regression count models and calculated unadjusted and fully adjusted incidence rate ratios. For the all-cause death outcome, we used Cox survival models to calculate unadjusted and fully adjusted hazard ratios. RESULTS: Of the 1748 patients for whom a KFRE was completed, 1347 (77%) remained in or were admitted to a multidisciplinary CKD clinic, 310 (18%) were managed by a nephrologist only, and 91 (5%) were referred back for management by their primary care physician. There was a much higher kidney failure risk among patients who remained at or were admitted to a multidisciplinary CKD clinic (median 2-year risk of 34.7% compared with 3.6% and 0.8% who remained with a nephrologist or primary care physician, respectively). None of the people managed by their primary care physician alone commenced KRT, while only 2 (0.6%) managed by a nephrologist without multidisciplinary CKD care commenced KRT. The rates of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and death were lower in those assigned to management outside the multidisciplinary CKD clinics when compared with those managed in the multidisciplinary care setting. LIMITATIONS: The follow-up period may not have been long enough to determine outcomes, and potentially limited generalizability given variability of care in multidisciplinary clinics. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a portion of patients can be directed to less resource-intensive care without a higher risk of adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.