Jul 21
An estimated 37 million American adults are affected by kidney disease but 90% are unaware they even have it. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) hopes to change that with a new Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients with Diabetes measure announced today in partnership with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The new HEDIS measure will improve kidney disease testing in people with diabetes which is a key risk factor for developing kidney disease.
Clinical practice guidelines recommend that people with diabetes be routinely tested to detect kidney disease. While the tests associated with kidney disease detection and diagnosis are inexpensive and widely available for routine clinic visits, less than 50% of people with diabetes receive both tests annually. The new Kidney Health Evaluation HEDIS Measure will reveal these gaps in care for clinicians, healthcare leadership and health plan executives.