Identifying, educating the pre-ESRD patient.
Clinicians want the best for their patients, including more timely and thorough education on RRT to help patients cope with and adjust to their chronic disease. The predicted patient growth over the next decade will place an even greater demand on these health care professionals. Supplementary methods to support patient education must be found. Associations, including the NKF, AKF, and the AAKP have created ways to identify and educate patients earlier. Industry, associations, and clinicians must come together as a renal community to coordinate their efforts, keeping the interest of the patients foremost. This will ensure that patients are identified early enough to have timely access to complete information and are taking an active role in their own care. This integrated and collaborative approach will result in more prepared and empowered pre-ESRD patients and, ultimately, improved quality of care and quality of life.
Villano
R
R
Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Deerfield, Ill., USA.
Scourick
M
M
Williams
S
S
D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic; D010353:Patient Education as Topic