For many patients with kidney disease, timely access to a nephrologist still depends heavily on where they live.
Access TeleCare’s Medical Director of teleNephrology Phuc Nguyen, D.O., recently spoke with Becker’s Health IT about how virtual nephrology care can help hospitals improve access to care, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Dr. Nguyen describes teleNephrology as an extension of the local care team. A remote nephrologist can review medical records and test results, evaluate patients, recommend treatment, and help determine whether a patient can be cared for locally or needs to be transferred.
Dr. Nguyen also discussed teleNephrology’s role in inpatient dialysis, which accounts for roughly one-third of Access TeleCare’s nephrology consultations.
“For patients with kidney disease, a lack of nephrologists in their community makes accessing the care they need — both regular care as well as care in urgent situations — extremely difficult. TeleNephrology, delivered in partnership with existing community providers, can fill this gap,” Dr. Nguyen told Becker’s.
For hospitals facing persistent shortages of nephrologists, teleNephrology offers a way to bring nephrology expertise to the bedside — without requiring every patient to leave their community for care.
