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Horton A, Loban K, Nugus P, Fortin MC, Gunaratnam L, Knoll G, Mucsi I, Chaudhury P, Landsberg D, Paquet M, Cantarovich M, Sandal S. Health System-Level Barriers to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Protocol for a Comparative Case Study Analysis. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e44172. [PMID: 36881454 PMCID: PMC10031444 DOI: 10.2196/44172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option for patients with kidney failure and offers significant medical and economic advantages for both patients and health systems. Despite this, rates of LDKT in Canada have stagnated and vary significantly across Canadian provinces, the reasons for which are not well understood. Our prior work has suggested that system-level factors may be contributing to these differences. Identifying these factors can help inform system-level interventions to increase LDKT. OBJECTIVE Our objective is to generate a systemic interpretation of LDKT delivery across provincial health systems with variable performance. We aim to identify the attributes and processes that facilitate the delivery of LDKT to patients, and those that create barriers and compare these across systems with variable performance. These objectives are contextualized within our broader goal of increasing rates of LDKT in Canada, particularly in lower-performing provinces. METHODS This research takes the form of a qualitative comparative case study analysis of 3 provincial health systems in Canada that have high, moderate, and low rates of LDKT performance (the percentage of LDKT to all kidney transplantations performed). Our approach is underpinned by an understanding of health systems as complex adaptive systems that are multilevel and interconnected, and involve nonlinear interactions between people and organizations, operating within a loosely bounded network. Data collection will comprise semistructured interviews, document reviews, and focus groups. Individual case studies will be conducted and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Following this, our comparative analysis will operationalize resource-based theory to compare case study data and generate explanations for our research question. RESULTS This project was funded from 2020 to 2023. Individual case studies were carried out between November 2020 and August 2022. The comparative case analysis will begin in December 2022 and is expected to conclude in April 2023. Submission of the publication is projected for June 2023. CONCLUSIONS By investigating health systems as complex adaptive systems and making comparisons across provinces, this study will identify how health systems can improve the delivery of LDKT to patients with kidney failure. Our resource-based theory framework will provide a granular analysis of the attributes and processes that facilitate or create barriers to LDKT delivery across multiple organizations and levels of practice. Our findings will have practice and policy implications and help inform transferrable competencies and system-level interventions conducive to increasing LDKT. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/44172.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Horton
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katya Loban
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Peter Nugus
- Department of Family Medicine and the Institute of Health Sciences Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Chantal Fortin
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lakshman Gunaratnam
- Matthew Mailing Centre for Translational Transplant Studies, Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Greg Knoll
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Istvan Mucsi
- Ajmera Transplant Center and Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Nephrology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Prosanto Chaudhury
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Surgery, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David Landsberg
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michel Paquet
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marcelo Cantarovich
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shaifali Sandal
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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2
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Horton A, Loban K, Fortin MC, Charbonneau S, Nugus P, Pâquet MR, Chaudhury P, Cantarovich M, Sandal S. Living Donor Kidney Transplantation in Quebec: A Qualitative Case Study of Health System Barriers and Facilitators. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2023; 10:20543581221150675. [PMID: 36704234 PMCID: PMC9871975 DOI: 10.1177/20543581221150675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with kidney failure represent a major public health burden, and living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option for these patients. Current work to optimize LDKT delivery to patients has focused on microlevel interventions and has not addressed interdependencies with meso and macro levels of practice. Objective We aimed to learn from a health system with historically low LDKT performance to identify facilitators and barriers to LDKT. Our specific aims were to understand how LDKT delivery is organized through interacting macro, meso, and micro levels of practice and identify what attributes and processes of this health system facilitate the delivery of LDKT to patients with kidney failure and what creates barriers. Design We conducted a qualitative case study, applying a complex adaptive systems approach to LDKT delivery, that recognizes health systems as being made up of dynamic, nested, and interconnected levels, with the patient at its core. Setting The setting for this case study was the province of Quebec, Canada. Participants Thirty-two key stakeholders from all levels of the health system. This included health care professionals, leaders in LDKT governance, living kidney donors, and kidney recipients. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 32 key stakeholders and a document review were undertaken between February 2021 and December 2021. Inductive thematic analysis was used to generate themes. Results Overall, we identified strong links between system attributes and processes and LDKT delivery, and more barriers than facilitators were discerned. Barriers that undermined access to LDKT included fragmented LDKT governance and expertise, disconnected care practices, limited resources, and regional inequities. Some were mitigated to an extent by the intervention of a program launched in 2018 to increase LDKT. Facilitators driven by the program included advocacy for LDKT from individual member(s) of the care team, dedicated resources, increased collaboration, and training opportunities that targeted LDKT delivery at multiple levels of practice. Limitations Delineating the borders of a "case" is a challenge in case study research, and it is possible that some perspectives may have been missed. Participants may have produced socially desirable answers. Conclusions Our study systematically investigated real-world practices as they operate throughout a health system. This novel approach has cross-disciplinary methodological relevance, and our findings have policy implications that can help inform multilevel interventions to improve LDKT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Horton
- Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katya Loban
- Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Chantal Fortin
- Centre de recherche du Centre
hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Peter Nugus
- Department of Family Medicine and
Institute of Health Sciences Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC,
Canada
| | - Michel R. Pâquet
- Centre de recherche du Centre
hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Prosanto Chaudhury
- Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Department of Surgery, McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marcelo Cantarovich
- Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shaifali Sandal
- Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada,Shaifali Sandal, Research Institute of the
McGill University Health Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital Glen Site, D05-7176,
1001 boul Decarie, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.
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Horton A, Loban K, Nugus P, Fortin M, Gunaratnam L, Knoll G, Mucsi I, Chaudhury P, Landsberg D, Paquet M, Cantarovich M, Sandal S. Health System–Level Barriers to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Protocol for a Comparative Case Study Analysis (Preprint).. [DOI: 10.2196/preprints.44172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option for patients with kidney failure and offers significant medical and economic advantages for both patients and health systems. Despite this, rates of LDKT in Canada have stagnated and vary significantly across Canadian provinces, the reasons for which are not well understood. Our prior work has suggested that system-level factors may be contributing to these differences. Identifying these factors can help inform system-level interventions to increase LDKT.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective is to generate a systemic interpretation of LDKT delivery across provincial health systems with variable performance. We aim to identify the attributes and processes that facilitate the delivery of LDKT to patients, and those that create barriers and compare these across systems with variable performance. These objectives are contextualized within our broader goal of increasing rates of LDKT in Canada, particularly in lower-performing provinces.
METHODS
This research takes the form of a qualitative comparative case study analysis of 3 provincial health systems in Canada that have high, moderate, and low rates of LDKT performance (the percentage of LDKT to all kidney transplantations performed). Our approach is underpinned by an understanding of health systems as complex adaptive systems that are multilevel and interconnected, and involve nonlinear interactions between people and organizations, operating within a loosely bounded network. Data collection will comprise semistructured interviews, document reviews, and focus groups. Individual case studies will be conducted and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Following this, our comparative analysis will operationalize resource-based theory to compare case study data and generate explanations for our research question.
RESULTS
This project was funded from 2020 to 2023. Individual case studies were carried out between November 2020 and August 2022. The comparative case analysis will begin in December 2022 and is expected to conclude in April 2023. Submission of the publication is projected for June 2023.
CONCLUSIONS
By investigating health systems as complex adaptive systems and making comparisons across provinces, this study will identify how health systems can improve the delivery of LDKT to patients with kidney failure. Our resource-based theory framework will provide a granular analysis of the attributes and processes that facilitate or create barriers to LDKT delivery across multiple organizations and levels of practice. Our findings will have practice and policy implications and help inform transferrable competencies and system-level interventions conducive to increasing LDKT.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT
DERR1-10.2196/44172
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Identifying Modifiable System-Level Barriers to Living Donor Kidney Transplantation. Kidney Int Rep 2022; 7:2410-2420. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2022.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Sandal S, Ahn JB, Cantarovich M, Chu NM, Segev DL, McAdams-DeMarco MA. Evolving Trends in Risk Profiles and Outcomes in Older Adults Undergoing Kidney Retransplantation. Transplantation 2022; 106:1051-1060. [PMID: 34115459 PMCID: PMC8636546 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In older adults (≥65), access to and outcomes following kidney transplantation (KT) have improved over the past 3 decades. It is unknown if there were parallel trends in re-KT. We characterized the trends, changing landscape, and outcomes of re-KT in older adults. METHODS Among the 44,149 older kidney-only recipients (1995-2016) in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we identified 1743 who underwent re-KT. We analyzed trends and outcomes (mortality, death-censored graft failure [DCGF]) by eras (1995-2002, 2003-2014, and 2015-2016) that were defined by changes to the expanded criteria donors and Kidney Donor Profile Index policies. RESULTS Among all older kidney-only recipients during 1995-2002, 2003-2014, 2015-2016 the proportion that were re-KTs increased from 2.7% to 4.2% to 5.7%, P < 0.001, respectively. Median age at re-KT (67-68-68, P = 0.04), years on dialysis after graft failure (1.4-1.5-2.2, P = 0.003), donor age (40.0-43.0-43.5, P = 0.04), proportion with panel reactive antibody 80-100 (22.0%-32.7%-48.7%, P < 0.001), and donation after circulatory death (1.1%-13.4%-19.5%, P < 0.001) have increased. Despite this, the 3-y cumulative incidence for mortality (22.3%-19.1%-11.5%, P = 0.002) and DCGF (13.3%-10.0%-5.1%, P = 0.01) decreased over time. Compared with deceased donor retransplant recipients during 1995-2002, those during 2003-2014 and 2015-2016 had lower mortality hazard (aHR = 0.78, 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.86 and aHR = 0.55, 95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.86, respectively). These declines were noted but not significant for DCGF and in living donor re-KTs. CONCLUSIONS In older retransplant recipients, outcomes have improved significantly over time despite higher risk profiles; yet they represent a fraction of the KTs performed. Our results support increasing access to re-KT in older adults; however, approaches to guide the selection and management in those with graft failure need to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaifali Sandal
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec
| | - JiYoon B. Ahn
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Marcelo Cantarovich
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec
| | - Nadia M. Chu
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Dorry L. Segev
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Mara A. McAdams-DeMarco
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Hamid M, Rogers E, Chawla G, Gill J, Macanovic S, Mucsi I. Pretransplant Patient Education in Solid-organ Transplant: A Narrative Review. Transplantation 2022; 106:722-733. [PMID: 34260472 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Education for pretransplant, solid-organ recipient candidates aims to improve knowledge and understanding about the transplant process, outcomes, and potential complications to support informed, shared decision-making to reduce fears and anxieties about transplant, inform expectations, and facilitate adjustment to posttransplant life. In this review, we summarize novel pretransplant initiatives and approaches to educate solid-organ transplant recipient candidates. First, we review approaches that may be common to all solid-organ transplants, then we summarize interventions specific to kidney, liver, lung, and heart transplant. We describe evidence that emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary approaches to transplant education. We also summarize initiatives that consider online (eHealth) and mobile (mHealth) solutions. Finally, we highlight education initiatives that support racialized or otherwise marginalized communities to improve equitable access to solid-organ transplant. A considerable amount of work has been done in solid-organ transplant since the early 2000s with promising results. However, many studies on education for pretransplant recipient candidates involve relatively small samples and nonrandomized designs and focus on short-term surrogate outcomes. Overall, many of these studies have a high risk of bias. Frequently, interventions assessed are not well characterized or they are combined with administrative and data-driven initiatives into multifaceted interventions, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of the education component on outcomes. In the future, well-designed studies rigorously assessing well-defined surrogate and clinical outcomes will be needed to evaluate the impact of many promising initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzan Hamid
- Multi-Organ Transplant Program and Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Horton A, Nugus P, Fortin MC, Landsberg D, Cantarovich M, Sandal S. Health system barriers and facilitators to living donor kidney transplantation: a qualitative case study in British Columbia. CMAJ Open 2022; 10:E348-E356. [PMID: 35440483 PMCID: PMC9022938 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20210049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In patients with kidney failure, living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best treatment option; yet, LDKT rates have stagnated in Canada and vary widely across provinces. We aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to LDKT in a high-performing health system. METHODS This study was conducted using a qualitative exploratory case study of British Columbia. Data collection, conducted between October 2020 and January 2021, entailed document review and semistructured interviews with key stakeholders, including provincial leadership, care teams and patients. We recruited participants via purposive sampling and snowballing technique. We generated themes using thematic analysis. RESULTS After analysis of interviews conducted with 22 participants (5 representatives from provincial organizations, 7 health care providers at transplant centres, 8 health care providers from regional units and 2 patients) and document review, we identified the following 5 themes as facilitators to LDKT: a centralized infrastructure, a mandate for timely intervention, an equitable funding model, a commitment to collaboration and cultivating distributed expertise. The relationship between 2 provincial organizations (BC Transplant and BC Renal Agency) was identified as key to enabling the mandate and processes for LDKT. Five barriers were identified that arose from silos between provincial organizations and manifested as inconsistencies in coordinating LDKT along the spectrum of care. These were divided accountability structures, disconnected care processes, missed training opportunities, inequitable access by region and financial burden for donors and recipients. INTERPRETATION We found strong links between provincial infrastructure and the processes that facilitate or impede timely intervention and referral of patients for LDKT. Our findings have implications for policy-makers and provide opportunities for cross-jurisdictional comparative analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Horton
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que
| | - Peter Nugus
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que
| | - Marie-Chantal Fortin
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que
| | - David Landsberg
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que
| | - Marcelo Cantarovich
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que
| | - Shaifali Sandal
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (Horton, Cantarovich, Sandal); Department of Family Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences Education (Nugus), McGill University; Division of Nephrology (Fortin), Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (Fortin), Montréal, Que.; Department of Medicine (Landsberg), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC; Division of Nephrology (Cantarovich, Sandal), Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Que.
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Sandal S, Horton A, Fortin MC. Advancing a Paradigm Shift to Approaching Health Systems in the Field of Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation: An Opinion Piece. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2022; 9:20543581221079486. [PMID: 35237443 PMCID: PMC8882925 DOI: 10.1177/20543581221079486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shaifali Sandal
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- The Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna Horton
- The Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Chantal Fortin
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
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Yohanna S, Naylor KL, Mucsi I, McKenzie S, Belenko D, Blake PG, Coghlan C, Dixon SN, Elliott L, Getchell L, Ki V, Nesrallah G, Patzer RE, Presseau J, Reich M, Sontrop JM, Treleaven D, Waterman AD, Zaltzman J, Garg AX. A Quality Improvement Intervention to Enhance Access to Kidney Transplantation and Living Kidney Donation (EnAKT LKD) in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Clinical Research Protocol of a Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2021; 8:2054358121997266. [PMID: 33948191 PMCID: PMC8054216 DOI: 10.1177/2054358121997266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Many patients with kidney failure will live longer and healthier lives if
they receive a kidney transplant rather than dialysis. However, multiple
barriers prevent patients from accessing this treatment option. Objective: To determine if a quality improvement intervention provided in chronic kidney
disease (CKD) programs (vs. usual care) enables more patients with no
recorded contraindications to kidney transplant to complete more steps
toward receiving a kidney transplant. Design: This protocol describes a pragmatic 2-arm, parallel-group, open-label,
registry-based, cluster-randomized clinical trial—the Enhance Access to
Kidney Transplantation and Living Kidney Donation (EnAKT LKD) trial. Setting: All 26 CKD programs in Ontario, Canada, with a trial start date of November
1, 2017. The original end date of March 31, 2021 (3.4 years) has been
extended to December 31, 2021 (4.1 years) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: During the trial, the 26 CKD programs are expected to care for more than 10
000 adult patients with CKD (including patients approaching the need for
dialysis and patients receiving dialysis) with no recorded contraindications
to a kidney transplant. Intervention: Programs were randomly allocated to provide a quality improvement
intervention or usual care. The intervention has 4 main components: (1)
local quality improvement teams and administrative support; (2) tailored
education and resources for staff, patients, and living kidney donor
candidates; (3) support from kidney transplant recipients and living kidney
donors; and (4) program-level performance reports and oversight by program
leaders. Primary Outcome: The primary outcome is the number of key steps completed toward receiving a
kidney transplant analyzed at the cluster level (CKD program). The following
4 unique steps per patient will be counted: (1) patient referred to a
transplant center for evaluation, (2) at least one living kidney donor
candidate contacts a transplant center for an intended recipient and
completes a health history questionnaire to begin their evaluation, (3)
patient added to the deceased donor transplant wait list, and (4) patient
receives a kidney transplant from a living or deceased donor. Planned Primary Analysis: Study data will be obtained from Ontario’s linked administrative healthcare
databases. An intent-to-treat analysis will be conducted comparing the
primary outcome between randomized groups using a 2-stage approach. First
stage: residuals are obtained from fitting a regression model to
individual-level variables ignoring intervention and clustering effects.
Second stage: residuals from the first stage are aggregated at the cluster
level as the outcome. Limitations: It may not be possible to isolate independent effects of each intervention
component, the usual care group could adopt intervention components leading
to contamination bias, and the relatively small number of clusters could
mean the 2 arms are not balanced on all baseline prognostic factors. Conclusions: The EnAKT LKD trial will provide high-quality evidence on whether a
multi-component quality improvement intervention helps patients complete
more steps toward receiving a kidney transplant. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov; identifier: NCT03329521.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyla L Naylor
- ICES, ON, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Istvan Mucsi
- Division of Nephrology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Dmitri Belenko
- Division of Nephrology, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter G Blake
- Division of Nephrology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Stephanie N Dixon
- ICES, ON, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Lori Elliott
- Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Leah Getchell
- Division of Nephrology, London Health Sciences Centre, ON, Canada
| | - Vincent Ki
- Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health, Toronto, Canada.,Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Gihad Nesrallah
- Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health, Toronto, Canada.,Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rachel E Patzer
- Health Services Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justin Presseau
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Health Research Institute, ON, Canada
| | - Marian Reich
- Canadians Seeking Solutions and Innovations to Overcome Chronic Kidney Disease, Patient Council, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica M Sontrop
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Division of Nephrology, London Health Sciences Centre, ON, Canada
| | - Darin Treleaven
- Division of Nephrology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Trillium Gift of Life Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy D Waterman
- Division of Nephrology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jeffrey Zaltzman
- Trillium Gift of Life Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Nephrology, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amit X Garg
- ICES, ON, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Division of Nephrology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health, Toronto, Canada
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