Observational StudyRaDIANT Health Systems Intervention

Five participating transplant centers will multicomponent intervention in their management of patients referred to their transplant center for a kidney transplantation. The intervention will consist of: (1) required performance feedback reports on closed referrals; and a set of optional components that may be implemented variably by centers, including; (2) contacting patients via their preferred method; (3) phone calls to the dialysis facility during the patient's dialysis session; (4) phone calls to the referring or other provider; (5) use of a multi-module, secure, web-enabled software application called Transplant Referral EXchange (T-REX) or secure email to communicate patient status and no-show information; and (6) communication tracking and audit. Dialysis facilities in GA, NC, SC, and IN will receive resources to support an awareness campaign to support implementation of intervention activities within transplant centers.

Performance feedback reports will reflect each transplant center's performance related to kidney transplant evaluation initiation and referral closure. These reports aim to help centers understand common reasons why patients do not initiate the evaluation process or failed to proceed beyond the evaluation process, and to identify patterns in referral and evaluation closure practices. Reports will be individualized and distributed quarterly to the transplant center champion by the intervention lead.

As part of the intervention, dialysis centers will participate in an Awareness Campaign designed to educate staff about transplant center quality improvement efforts and how they may be contacted as part of the project. This campaign may include brief webinars or informative documents distributed via platforms such as IPRO Learn.

Transplant centers will contact patients using their preferred method of communication.

Facilities will enhance their patient communication procedures by making a phone call to the dialysis facility during the patient's dialysis session if the patient has not responded to initial outreach attempts. This additional step increases the likelihood of reaching the patient during a time when they are accessible and can engage in scheduling or follow-up.

Transplant centers will enhance their outreach procedures by making a phone call to the referring provider (e.g., nephrologist, medical assistant) or another provider involved in the patient's care (e.g., primary care provider) in the event of self-referral if the patient has not responded to initial outreach attempts or "no-shows" an initial evaluation appointment. This additional step ensures that the referring provider is informed of the patient's progress and can assist in re-engagement or decision-making prior to referral closure.

Transplant center staff will utilize transplant referral communication platforms and/or email to communicate updates to dialysis staff regarding patient status (e.g., unable to contact the patient or no-show) before referral closure.

Transplant center staff will continue internally tracking the frequency that a patient is contacted before closure and the date of closure, in alignment with center standard practice. This intervention introduces an audit process to be conducted before closure to ensure that all contact attempts (including one or more attempts to contact the patient directly, one or more phone calls to the alternate preferred contact, or one or more attempted contacts to the dialysis unit to connect with the patient), in alignment with center communication procedures, are appropriately executed.