Telemedicine Utilization After Kidney Transplantation Was Not Associated with Decreased Early Hospital Readmission Rate.
Kidney Transplantation, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
Meeting: 2017 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: C75
Keywords: Graft survival, Kidney transplantation, Outcome
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session C: Disparity in Access and Outcomes for Solid Organ Transplantation
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Monday, May 1, 2017
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall D1
Kidney transplant population has marked high 30-day early hospital readmission (EHR) rate. EHR has attracted considerable attention recently as an acceptable metric of poor hospital quality. While previous studies have shown that telemedicine has reduced EHR and mortality rate in cardiac patient population, no study has thus far evaluated the impact of telemedicine on EHR rate in kidney transplant population. Aim: To evaluate the impact of Telemedicine utilization on EHR rate. Additionally, we studied effect of Telemedicine on 1-year graft survival and function.
Methods: This retrospective case control study included adult patients who underwent kidney transplantation between 2012 -2014. Primary outcome was EHR within 30 days of discharge. Secondary outcomes were graft survival, and estimated GFR (by MDRD) at one year. Comparison of data was made using Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Student's t-test for continuous variables, and [chi]2 test or Fisher`s exact test for categorical variables. Graft survival was examined using survival Cox model.
Results: Out of 255 kidney transplant patient, 69% did not use Telemedicine and 31% used Telemedicine. Overall EHR was 31%. There was no risk factors identified for EHR. EHR was 33% in the Telemedicine group compared to 31% in the non-Telemedicine group (P 0.4). There was a trend toward better 1 year graft survival in the Telemedicine group (97 vs 93 % P=0.1) with no statistical significance. There was no significant difference in 1-year graft function between the 2 groups.
| Telemedicine
n (%) 78 (31) |
No Telemedicine
n % 177 (69) |
p value | |
| Age (Mean/SD) | 51 (11) | 51 (12) | 0.8 |
| Male gender | 52 (66) | 100 (56) | 0.1 |
| Race
White Black Other |
43 (55)
35 (44) 0 |
107 (60)
63 (35) 7 (4) |
0.1 |
| BMI (Mean/SD) | 30 (6) | 29 (6) | 0.2 |
| Retransplant | 9 (11) | 36 (20) | 0.1 |
| Living Donor | 20 (25) | 42 (23) | 0.8 |
| DGF | 14 (17) | 33 (18) | 1 |
| Induction
Basiliximab Thymoglobulin |
2 (2)
75 (96) |
21 (11)
155 (87) |
0.05 |
Conclusion: Telemedicine utilization after kidney transplantation was not associated with decreased rate of early hospital admission, improved graft survival or function at 1-year post transplantation. Further studies are warranted.
CITATION INFORMATION: Elfadawy N, Sanchez E, Woodside K, Augustine J, Hricik D, Sarabu N. Telemedicine Utilization After Kidney Transplantation Was Not Associated with Decreased Early Hospital Readmission Rate. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Elfadawy N, Sanchez E, Woodside K, Augustine J, Hricik D, Sarabu N. Telemedicine Utilization After Kidney Transplantation Was Not Associated with Decreased Early Hospital Readmission Rate. [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2017; 17 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/telemedicine-utilization-after-kidney-transplantation-was-not-associated-with-decreased-early-hospital-readmission-rate/. Accessed May 12, 2025.« Back to 2017 American Transplant Congress