Utilizing Telehealth Education for Persons with Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 4-5: Eliminating Barriers at the Patient and Provider Level.

Abstract

Home dialysis rates have improved little over the past five years. Lack of pre-dialysis patient education persists as an obstacle precluding greater improvement. In this study, barriers to chronic kidney disease (CKD) education at patient and provider levels were addressed using telehealth education for patients with CKD Stages 4-5 in a nonacademic outpatient nephrology practice. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare patients (n = 31) who received telehealth education to those in usual care. CKD Knowledge subscales of kidney function, slowing the progression of CKD, and options for treatment of kidney failure were measured pre-education, post-education, and three months later. There was no significant difference in CKD Knowledge scores over time or in treatment groups. Telehealth CKD education offers flexible options to address patient/provider barriers and potentially improve patient choice of home dialysis therapies.