Abstract: PO0912
Users of a Web-Based Communications Platform for Care Coordination of Hospitalized Dialysis Patients
Session Information
- Leveraging Technology and Innovation to Predict Events and Improve Dialysis Delivery
November 04, 2021 | Location: On-Demand, Virtual Only
Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Category: Dialysis
- 701 Dialysis: Hemodialysis and Frequent Dialysis
Authors
- Plantinga, Laura, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Hoge, Courtney E., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Lea, Janice P., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- O'Donnell, Christopher M., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Vandenberg, Ann E., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- James, Kyle P., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Masud, Tahsin, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Jaar, Bernard G., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- Gray, Carol A., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Mutell, Rich, Apex Health Innovations, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Background
Better care coordination between dialysis clinics and hospitals may improve outcomes among hospitalized dialysis patients. To fill the gap created by separate electronic health record systems across the two settings, we rolled out a web-based communications platform (“DialysisConnect”) in four dialysis clinics and one hospital in Atlanta. Here, we examine usage patterns of DialysisConnect.
Methods
DialysisConnect included automatically uploaded clinical information from dialysis clinics, forms for entering critical admission and discharge information, and a direct communications channel. Two nephrologists and two hospitalists served as project champions at the dialysis clinics and hospital, respectively. DialysisConnect was made available to 106 potential users [hospitalists, nephrologists, advanced practice providers (APPs) at the hospital and dialysis clinics, care coordinators (hospital), and nurses/nurse managers (dialysis clinic)] starting 10/29/20. Descriptive statistics were used to describe patterns overall and by user role through 4/15/21.
Results
While physicians comprised most of the potential users, APPs and dialysis nurses were the most active users (Table). Additionally, activity was unevenly distributed among users: e.g., one hospital-based APP recorded most of the admissions (n=225, 89%) and discharges (n=226, 93%) among patients treated at the dialysis clinics included in the pilot.
Conclusion
We found that physicians were unlikely to use DiaylsisConnect. Our user statistics suggest that APPs and nurses may be the most likely to engage with a care coordination system, which informs future pragmatic research in this area.
| User Role | No. (%) of all users | No (%) of all users who were active users* | No. (%) of all users who were top users** | No. (%) of admissions entered | No (%) of discharges entered | Total no. of logins (% of all logins) | Total no. of messages (% of all messages) |
| Total | 106 | 48 (45.3%) | 27 (25.5%) | 252 | 243 | 1812 | 939 |
| Hospitalist | 49 (46.2%) | 8 (16.3%) | 1 (2.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (0.1%) | 18 (1.3%) | 7 (0.7%) |
| Hospital APP | 4 (3.8%) | 3 (75.0%) | 2 (50.0%) | 225 (89.3%) | 229 (94.2%) | 200 (14.6%) | 712 (75.8%) |
| Renal Fellow | 4 (3.8%) | 4 (100%) | 2 (50.0%) | 27 (10.7%) | 12 (4.7%) | 39 (2.8%) | 43 (4.6%) |
| Care Coordinator | 3 (2.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) |
| Nephrologist | 12 (11.3%) | 7 (58.3%) | 2 (16.7%) | --- | --- | 50 (3.6%) | 7 (0.7%) |
| Dialysis APP | 2 (1.9%) | 2 (100%) | 2 (100%) | --- | --- | 221 (16.1%) | 156 (16.6%) |
| Nurse | 18 (17.0%) | 13 (72.2%) | 11 (61.1%) | --- | --- | 842 (61.5%) | 14 (1.5%) |
Other users (n=3) included vascular access team and dietitian; none were active users. *Active = logged into the system at least once. **Top users = ≥75th percentile (≥6 logins).
Funding
- NIDDK Support