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Tele Health Utilization in Kidney Transplantation Clinic

S. Wattanatorn, S. Udomkarnjananun, N. Townamchai, T. Thammathiwat, N. Mahatanan, Y. Avihingsanon, K. Praditpornsilpa

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: D-065

Keywords: Economics, Kidney transplantation, Outpatients, Quality of life

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session D: Kidney Psychosocial

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

 Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: Most of the kidney transplanted (KT) patients are well educated and have been receiving nearly the same medications every visit. In usual OPD care, patients need to come to the hospital and spend the whole day waiting for lab results and doctor advices. This process results in patients’ frustration due to the loss of their time and opportunity to work. The TELE clinic for the stable kidney transplant patients was established, aiming to decrease the unnecessary waiting time at the clinic and the cost of patients’ visit.

*Methods: KT recipients who had transplanted for at least 1 year, with stable serum creatinine of less than 2 mg/dl for at least 6 consecutive months were enrolled in TELE clinic. The patient came to the hospital for routine laboratory investigations, and met with the transplantation coordinator nurse to receive the medications and report their problems if there were any. Physicians will videocall the patients later via the TELE program, in the time that patients were available.

*Results: From February 2018 to November 2019, we have 49 patients included in the TELE clinic and completed 12 months follow-up. Twenty-five patients were male, mean age was 50.1±13.0 years, and mean transplantation duration was 7.8±3.8 years. The eGFR and CNIs’ levels were stable during the follow-up. Patients spent less time for each hospital visit in the TELE clinic, which was decreased from 13.3±0.9 hours to 6.8±0.7 hours (p<0.001), and the total cost for transportation and hospital-meal was decrease from 29.8±5.4 USD to 14.8±3.0 USD (p<0.001). WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL) test significantly improved in every aspects after entering TELE clinic, with total QOL score increased from 82±22 to 95±12 (p<0.001).

*Conclusions: Stable KT recipients can be safely treated and followed with the TELE health system. Appropriate patient selection criteria is necessary to ensure patient’s benefit and improvement in QOL.

Baseline characteristics
Variables Values (n=49)
Male 51%
Age 50.1+-13.0 years
Living donor KT 67%
mean PRA 5.9+-20.2% 
HLA mismatch 2.8+-1.5
Transplantation duration 7.8+-3.8 years
Outcome before and after enrolling in TELE clinic
Outcomes Before enrollment At 12 months after enrollment p-value
eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) 71+-14 71+-16 0.420
C0 tacrolimus (ng/ml) 6.1+-1.7 6.2+-1.9 0.790
Expense per hospital visit (USD) 29.8+-5.4 14.8+-3.0 <0.001
Time spent per hospital visit (hours) 13.3+-0.9 6.8+-0.7 <0.001
WHO Quality of Life total score 82+-22 95+-12 <0.001

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To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Wattanatorn S, Udomkarnjananun S, Townamchai N, Thammathiwat T, Mahatanan N, Avihingsanon Y, Praditpornsilpa K. Tele Health Utilization in Kidney Transplantation Clinic [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/tele-health-utilization-in-kidney-transplantation-clinic/. Accessed May 11, 2025.

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