A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics

Rationale & Objective: The study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a clinical decision support (CDS) system for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a primary care setting, with the goal of improving CKD care in adults. Study Design: This was a cluster randomized trial. Setting &...

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Main Authors: JoAnn Sperl-Hillen, A. Lauren Crain, James B. Wetmore, Lilian N. Chumba, Patrick J. O’Connor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-03-01
Series:Kidney Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590059523001954
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author JoAnn Sperl-Hillen
A. Lauren Crain
James B. Wetmore
Lilian N. Chumba
Patrick J. O’Connor
author_facet JoAnn Sperl-Hillen
A. Lauren Crain
James B. Wetmore
Lilian N. Chumba
Patrick J. O’Connor
author_sort JoAnn Sperl-Hillen
collection DOAJ
description Rationale & Objective: The study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a clinical decision support (CDS) system for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a primary care setting, with the goal of improving CKD care in adults. Study Design: This was a cluster randomized trial. Setting & Participants: A total of 32 Midwestern primary care clinics were randomly assigned to either receive usual care or CKD-CDS intervention. Between April 2019 and March 2020, we enrolled 6,420 patients aged 18-75 years with laboratory-defined glomerular filtration rate categories of CKD Stage G3 and G4, and 1 or more of 6 CKD care gaps: absence of a CKD diagnosis, suboptimal blood pressure or glycated hemoglobin levels, indication for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker but not prescribed, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent on the active medication list, or indication for a nephrology referral. Intervention: The CKD-CDS provided personalized suggestions for CKD care improvement opportunities directed to both patients and clinicians at primary care encounters. Outcomes: We assessed the proportion of patients meeting each of 6 CKD-CDS quality metrics representing care gap resolution after 18 months. Results: The adjusted proportions of patients meeting quality metrics in CKD-CDS versus usual care were as follows: CKD diagnosis documented (26.6% vs 21.8%; risk ratio [RR], 1.17; 95% CI, 0.91-1.51); angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker prescribed (15.9% vs 16.1%; RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.76-1.18); blood pressure control (20.4% vs 20.2%; RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.84-1.15); glycated hemoglobin level control (21.4% vs 22.1%; RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.80-1.24); nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent not on the active medication list (51.5% vs 50.4%; RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.90-1.17); and referral or visit to a nephrologist (38.7% vs 36.1%; RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.79-1.32). Limitations: We encountered an overall reduction in expected primary care encounters and obstacles to point-of-care CKD-CDS utilization because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Conclusions: The CKD-CDS intervention did not lead to a significant improvement in CKD quality metrics. The challenges to CDS use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic likely influenced these results. Funding: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R18DK118463). Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03890588. Plain-Language Summary: This study aimed to improve the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) through a clinical decision support (CDS) system. It involved 32 primary care clinics and 6,420 patients with CKD who had 1 or more of 6 CKD care improvement opportunities. The CDS provided personalized suggestions to both patients and clinicians about CKD care opportunities during primary care visits. After 18 months, the study found no significant differences between patients in clinics with CKD-CDS compared with usual care in diagnosing CKD, prescribing recommended medications, controlling blood pressure or glycated hemoglobin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent usage, or nephrology referrals. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic may have influenced results by introducing unforeseen implementation challenges, reduced visits, and less than expected CDS exposure.
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spelling doaj.art-b854dc8f2fd9410689b5b27674a79ab42024-02-25T04:36:23ZengElsevierKidney Medicine2590-05952024-03-0163100777A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care ClinicsJoAnn Sperl-Hillen0A. Lauren Crain1James B. Wetmore2Lilian N. Chumba3Patrick J. O’Connor4HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Center for Chronic Care Innovation, HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Address for Correspondence: JoAnn Sperl-Hillen, MD, HealthPartners Institute, 8170 33rd Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55425.HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, MinnesotaDivision of Nephrology, Hennepin Healthcare; Chronic Disease Research Group, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, MNHealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Center for Chronic Care Innovation, HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, MinnesotaHealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Center for Chronic Care Innovation, HealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, MinnesotaRationale & Objective: The study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a clinical decision support (CDS) system for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a primary care setting, with the goal of improving CKD care in adults. Study Design: This was a cluster randomized trial. Setting & Participants: A total of 32 Midwestern primary care clinics were randomly assigned to either receive usual care or CKD-CDS intervention. Between April 2019 and March 2020, we enrolled 6,420 patients aged 18-75 years with laboratory-defined glomerular filtration rate categories of CKD Stage G3 and G4, and 1 or more of 6 CKD care gaps: absence of a CKD diagnosis, suboptimal blood pressure or glycated hemoglobin levels, indication for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker but not prescribed, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent on the active medication list, or indication for a nephrology referral. Intervention: The CKD-CDS provided personalized suggestions for CKD care improvement opportunities directed to both patients and clinicians at primary care encounters. Outcomes: We assessed the proportion of patients meeting each of 6 CKD-CDS quality metrics representing care gap resolution after 18 months. Results: The adjusted proportions of patients meeting quality metrics in CKD-CDS versus usual care were as follows: CKD diagnosis documented (26.6% vs 21.8%; risk ratio [RR], 1.17; 95% CI, 0.91-1.51); angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker prescribed (15.9% vs 16.1%; RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.76-1.18); blood pressure control (20.4% vs 20.2%; RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.84-1.15); glycated hemoglobin level control (21.4% vs 22.1%; RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.80-1.24); nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent not on the active medication list (51.5% vs 50.4%; RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.90-1.17); and referral or visit to a nephrologist (38.7% vs 36.1%; RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.79-1.32). Limitations: We encountered an overall reduction in expected primary care encounters and obstacles to point-of-care CKD-CDS utilization because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Conclusions: The CKD-CDS intervention did not lead to a significant improvement in CKD quality metrics. The challenges to CDS use during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic likely influenced these results. Funding: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R18DK118463). Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03890588. Plain-Language Summary: This study aimed to improve the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) through a clinical decision support (CDS) system. It involved 32 primary care clinics and 6,420 patients with CKD who had 1 or more of 6 CKD care improvement opportunities. The CDS provided personalized suggestions to both patients and clinicians about CKD care opportunities during primary care visits. After 18 months, the study found no significant differences between patients in clinics with CKD-CDS compared with usual care in diagnosing CKD, prescribing recommended medications, controlling blood pressure or glycated hemoglobin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent usage, or nephrology referrals. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic may have influenced results by introducing unforeseen implementation challenges, reduced visits, and less than expected CDS exposure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590059523001954Chronic kidney diseasesclinical decision support systemsprimary carequality of health carerandomized controlled trialsCOVID-19 challenges
spellingShingle JoAnn Sperl-Hillen
A. Lauren Crain
James B. Wetmore
Lilian N. Chumba
Patrick J. O’Connor
A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
Kidney Medicine
Chronic kidney diseases
clinical decision support systems
primary care
quality of health care
randomized controlled trials
COVID-19 challenges
title A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
title_full A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
title_fullStr A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
title_full_unstemmed A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
title_short A CKD Clinical Decision Support System: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Primary Care Clinics
title_sort ckd clinical decision support system a cluster randomized clinical trial in primary care clinics
topic Chronic kidney diseases
clinical decision support systems
primary care
quality of health care
randomized controlled trials
COVID-19 challenges
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590059523001954
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