Higher Digital Health Engagement Helps Patients on Dialysis Achieve and Maintain Transplant Readiness

Receiving a new kidney from a living or deceased donor is often the best treatment option to extend and improve the life of people with renal failure, so tools that make it easier to follow these many requirements are indispensable. Researchers at Lifespan Health System in Providence, Rhode Island, conducted a retrospective study of people on hemodialysis awaiting a renal transplant and found that MyChart users were nearly three times more likely to receive a transplant within five years than those not using MyChart. The research team concluded that using MyChart to manage appointments, keep track of medications, and monitor lab results and notes can help these patients maintain transplant readiness. They also concluded that encouraging patients with renal failure to use MyChart could help them achieve better health outcomes.

How They Did It:

• Conducted a retrospective study of MyChart use by patients on hemodialysis
• Identified key information that successful patients review in MyChart
• Planned to use focus groups in dialysis clinics to promote MyChart adoption

Read the full article on EpicShare.org.