The nephrology eHealth-system of the metropolitan region of Hannover for digitalization of care, establishment of decision support systems and analysis of health care quality

Background

Even though a high demand for sector spanning communication exists, so far no eHealth platform for nephrology is established within Germany. This leads to insufficient communication between medical providers and therefore suboptimal nephrologic care. In addition, Clinical Decision Support Systems have not been used in Nephrology until now.

Methods

The aim of NEPHRO-DIGITAL is to create a eHealth platform in the Hannover region that facilitates integrated, cross-sectoral data exchange and includes teleconsultation between outpatient nephrology, primary care, pediatricians and nephrology clinics to reduce communication deficits and prevent data loss, and to enable the creation and implementation of an interoperable clinical decision support system. This system will be based on input data from multiple sources for early identification of patients with cardiovascular comorbidity and progression of renal insufficiency. Especially patients will be able to enter and access their own data. A transfer to a second nephrology center (metropolitan region of Erlangen-Nuremburg) is included in the study to prove feasibility and scalability of the approach.

Discussion

A decision support system should lead to earlier therapeutic interventions and thereby improve the prognosis of patients as well as their treatment satisfaction and quality of life. The system will be integrated in the data integration centres of two large German university medicine consortia (HiGHmed (highmed.org) and MIRACUM (miracum.org)).

Trial registration

ISRCTN16755335 (09.07.2019).

The KTx360°-study: a multicenter, multisectoral, multimodal, telemedicine-based follow-up care model to improve care and reduce health-care costs after kidney transplantation in children and adults

Background

Follow-up care after kidney transplantation is performed in transplant centers as well as in local nephrologist’s practices in Germany. However, organized integrated care of these different sectors of the German health care system is missing. This organizational deficit as well as non-adherence of kidney recipients and longterm cardiovascular complications are major reasons for an impaired patient and graft survival.

Methods

The KTx360° study is supported by a grant from the Federal Joint Committee of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The study will include 448 (39 children) incident patients of all ages with KTx after study start in May 2017 and 963 (83 children) prevalent patients with KTx between 2010 and 2016.

The collaboration between transplant centers and nephrologists in private local practices will be supported by internet-based case-files and scheduled virtual visits (patient consultation via video conferencing). At specified points of the care process patients will receive cardiovascular and adherence assessments and respective interventions. Care will be coordinated by an additional case management.

The goals of the study will be evaluated by an independent institute using claims data from the statutory health insurances and data collected from patients and their caregivers during study participation. To model longitudinal changes after transplantation and differences in changes and levels of immunosuppresive therapy after transplantation between study participants and historical data as well as data from control patients who do not participate in KTx360°, adjusted regression analyses, such as mixed models with repeated measures, will be used. Relevant confounders will be controlled in all analyses.

Discussion

The study aims to prolong patient and graft survival, to reduce avoidable hospitalizations, co-morbidities and health care costs, and to enhance quality of life of patients after kidney transplantation.

Trial registration

ISRCTN29416382 (retrospectively registered on 05.05.2017)