The Case

At a community hospital with limited local nephrology coverage, a nurse working at the hospital developed significant protein in his urine, known as proteinuria. While he was not immediately critically ill, proteinuria can be an early warning sign of serious kidney disease.

Without Access TeleCare’s teleNephrology coverage, the patient would have needed to travel several hours to see a nephrologist, delaying diagnosis and critical treatment and increasing the risk of worsening kidney disease.

The Care Plan

Through Access TeleCare’s teleNephrology program, Dr. Phuc Nguyen evaluated the patient virtually, reviewed his condition, ordered the appropriate workup, and helped coordinate a kidney biopsy to identify the underlying cause.

The consult gave the patient access to specialized kidney care without leaving his local community. It also gave the hospital’s onsite team the specialty backup needed to move forward with confidence, rather than delaying care or transferring the patient elsewhere for evaluation.

The Result

The patient received a diagnosis, began treatment, and returned to his nursing duties at the same hospital within the month.

“Cases like this show why teleNephrology matters for community hospitals. We help patients get answers locally, support the onsite teams caring for them, and intervene before kidney disease progresses to permanent damage. In this case, we were able to evaluate the patient, coordinate the right diagnostic steps, start treatment, and later see him back at work, doing well.”

— Dr. Phuc Nguyen
Medical Director, teleNephrology