Evaluating primary care referrals to specialist renal services
Duration: 2016-2018
Background
Most people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are managed in their communities, though there are real challenges in determining who they are and what is happening to them – including disease prevalence, natural history and current primary care management practices. One opportunity to review primary care CKD management is to consider the nature of people who are referred to specialist renal practices by GPs. Are people from primary health care being referred to specialists consistent with CKD referral guidelines? What is the scope of current GP referral practices?
Kidney Health Australia publishes a handbook: ‘Chronic Kidney Disease Management in General Practice’, which is a "synthesis of evolving evidence that shows the importance of early and appropriate management of kidney disease. Their Primary Care Education Advisory Committee for KHA (PEAK) produces this handbook to help health professionals identify people who are at risk of kidney disease and manage those who have chronic kidney disease", and includes criteria for referral to specialist renal services.
Handbook: http://kidney.org.au/health-professionals/prevent/chronic-kidney-disease-management-handbook
Project aim
This project aims to evaluate referrals of patients with CKD from their GP to a tertiary renal service.
Objectives
- To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with CKD who are referred to a public renal specialist clinic from general practice.
- To compare the characteristics of referrals to renal speciality clinics from general practices.
- To assess the concordance of GP referral practices with CKD management guidelines.
- To detect whether GP referral practices have changed over time.
Methods
The analysis cohort is inclusive of CKD patient referrals (received between Jan 2015 to February 2017) from general practice to the Kidney Health Service [RBWH] Metro North Hospital and Health Service, and who have consented to the CKD.QLD Registry Study.
The guidelines "CKD Management in General Practice", developed by Kidney Health Australia, provides the framework for referral criteria and analysis.
Conclusions
This study will provide empirical data on current GP referral practices for CKD patient referral to a tertiary nephrology service in Brisbane, Australia. Outcomes will assist in improved detection and management of CKD in Primary Health Care, and in the education of General Practitioners in current CKD Management guidelines.
Project enquiries
Please contact Dr Jenny Zhang via jenny.zhang@uq.edu.au .
