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Volume 2 Journal of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Annual Nephrology & Chronic Diseases 2019
May 20-21, 2019
Nephrology
Chronic Diseases May 20-21, 2019 London, UK
19th Annual Conference on
3rd International Conference on
&
An audit involving questionnaires in CKD outpatients: Are doctors meeting patient
education standards regarding disease severity and progression at two Birmingham
hospitals?
Katie Allen
University of Birmingham Medical School, United Kingdom
Background: The GMC requires all consultations to be a partnership between the doctor and patient whereby
information is shared effectively, regarding likely disease progression. Since CKD can entail life-changing
complications including dialysis, the importance of good patient understanding is of paramount importance.
Despite this, it is often noted that patients are unsure of the reason for their clinic attendance and their ideas
about their renal disease severity and progression dramatically contrast with their doctor's views.
Methods: At BHHandGHH, pre andpost-appointment questionnaireswere distributed at general renal clinics.
Differences in patients' thoughts on their likelihood of needing dialysis in 2 years and their understanding of
the purpose of their appointment were compared by the before and after time points. Predictions of disease
progression were extrapolated from the doctors’ graphs plotting eGFR. To determine if education standards
are being met, matching of patient’s thoughts and those from the medical perspective was looked for. The two
hospitals were compared.
Conclusions and Discussion: Overall, at both hospitals, education levels were suboptimal since for all
outcomes far fewer than 100% of patients reported the maximum understanding levels or had thoughts
matching their actual disease status or doctors’ predictions. Some quality education is however taking place in
some appointments because the percentage of patients whose idea of their disease severity matched their actual
renal disease category by eGFR almost doubled after the appointment compared to before. This is positive and
reassuring, but 38% of patients still leaving their appointment in non-agreement means there is vast room and
need for improvement in the information delivery taking place. Great diversity was found in understanding of
their reason for clinic attendance, for example 8% of patients reported a decrease in their understanding after
the appointment whilst for others it improved, further highlighting that changes are required.
Biography
Katie Allen is a medical student at the University of Birmingham, currently rotating around hospital placements throughout the West
Midlands. she has completed this audit under the supervision of Dr Hugh Rayner, nephrology consultant at the Heart of England NHS
Foundation Trust. As the lead for the “Please Write to Me” campaign, he believes strongly in the importance of effective communication
with patients and the necessity of investing time to improve the relevant standards. The ongoing valuable opportunities that being a
student provides to observe clinical practice involving a vast range of doctors, clinical settings and patient populations, has allowed me
to develop an interest in the quality of patient education, particularly for long-term conditions.
Katie Allen, J Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment, Volume 2