Intervention Mapping to Implement Equitable Symptom Assessment in Advanced Kidney Disease

People with kidney disease face many symptoms which can worsen their quality of life. We are working to identify methods to include discussions of symptoms and quality of life in routine conversations between people with kidney disease and their kidney doctors. This work will help improve the experience and care of people with kidney disease. We will work with people with kidney disease and kidney care teams to refine an intervention, in which symptoms are linked to clinical actions which help doctors provide support to patients. We will test readiness of our clinic and care teams to start using the intervention. The intervention could help > 2400 people with kidney disease who are seen in our clinics.  Over the past year, we used a survey to ask patients about their symptoms and quality of life before they came in to see their kidney doctors. However, the survey was under-used by Black patients and by patients from disadvantaged neighborhoods.  Only a few kidney doctors discussed the survey during clinic appointments. This research is needed to identify ways for all patients to use the survey, and to discuss symptoms and quality of life with their kidney doctors. I am a kidney doctor (nephrologist) dedicated to helping people with kidney disease. This research will help me learn how to design interventions which can improve the care that we deliver to people with kidney disease. I will continue to use these skills throughout my career as I work to help patients achieve better health.