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Needs of People with Kidney Transplantation During the Covid 19 Pandemic and Its Confinement, and the Role of Communication Technologies Through the “Patient Experience”

I. Revuelta1, E. Palou2, R. Scandurra3, F. Oppenheimer1, F. Diekmann1, J. Escarrabill2, B. Bayés1

1Department of Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, 2Chronic care program and patient experience, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, 3Department of Statistics, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Meeting: 2021 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 1298

Keywords: Kidney transplantation, Medicare, Methodology, Resource utilization

Topic: Clinical Science » Organ Inclusive » Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Social Media in Transplantation

Session Information

Session Name: Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Social Media in Transplantation

Session Type: Poster Abstract

Session Date & Time: None. Available on demand.

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare services have focused on the care of acute processes and there is a risk of not meeting the needs of complex chronic high-risk patients, such as kidney transplant patients(KT). Our goal is to understand the unmet needs/problems of KT during COVID-19 lock-down from the “patient experience” perspective, and to analyze the role of communication technologies.

*Methods: Development of a survey through concepts grouped into categories (units of meaning) and synthesized into metacategories extracted after interviews with 3 stable and confined KT focus groups (videoconference; verbal informed consent). Verbatim transcription of the conversation and analysis with MAXQDA software(https://www.maxqda.com/). After validation, the surveys were compared with those of the group of CJ Atchison et al in the UK general population (authorization in order).

*Results: Out of 1528 KTs, 947 answered (response rate:63%). 64.2% men, and 55% over 55years. Post-TR time:3m-5a. 115 concepts, 21 categories and 3 meta-categories were identified (in order of importance for patients: Role of technology (69%), Impact of lock-down (19%) and Contact with professionals(12%)). Our KTs have a serious concern about the disease (if infection, 38% believe that their life would be at risk; and 48% think that the infection would be serious), but not about their kidney disease (20.6%), 99.7% of KTs have taken measures of social distancing, and lock-down has not meant a change in their lifestyle (sleep, diet, exercise, and family or social relationships). On a scale of 1-6 (1 little-6 a lot), for the KTs the global impact has been 1.69, very different from that of the UK (p<0.05). Regarding healthcare needs, 27.7% reported having received information from the hospital, but not very useful; 42.3% have stopped doing some medical control, but only 1.92% have stopped the medication. During the pandemic, 55% contacted a specialist, by telemedicine in a 84.7% (preferring by video-call). KTs understand that technology does not replace all face-to-face technology and positively value group videoconferences (therapeutic education, dietary recommendations, physical activity).

*Conclusions: KTs are people at risk, and they have serious concern about the disease, so they comply with lock-down, although this has not led to a significant change in their lifestyle. KTs value having easy access to professionals, information from the center, and consider technology a key role during lock-down. These learnings should profoundly change the way health professionals relate to patients, allowing an increase in the number of contacts and reducing face-to-face visits.

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To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Revuelta I, Palou E, Scandurra R, Oppenheimer F, Diekmann F, Escarrabill J, Bayés B. Needs of People with Kidney Transplantation During the Covid 19 Pandemic and Its Confinement, and the Role of Communication Technologies Through the “Patient Experience” [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2021; 21 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/needs-of-people-with-kidney-transplantation-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-and-its-confinement-and-the-role-of-communication-technologies-through-the-patient-experience/. Accessed May 30, 2025.

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