Providing supportive care to patients with kidney disease

The field of medicine is recognizing the importance of patient-centered care and quality of life, thoughtfully considering patients’ values and goals so that care can be effectively tailored to support those goals, which may include the delivery of supportive or palliative care, when necessary. To this end, three “best practices” are provided: 1) nurture a shared decision-making relationship, 2) provide meticulous pain and symptom management, and 3) provide or collaborate with supportive care or hospice in the treatment of seriously ill kidney disease patients. As renal professionals, it may never be “easy” to face these issues with patients, families, and caregivers; however, applying these best practices will help in providing quality supportive, end-of-life care to patients.

Duke Scholars

Author Jennifer Joanne St Clair Russell Medicine, General Internal Medicine