Integrating Supportive Care Principles Into Dialysis Decision Making: A Primer for Palliative Medicine Providers

Abstract

Despite advances in predialysis care and dialysis technology, patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease continue to experience multiple comorbidities, a high symptom burden, a shortened life expectancy, and substantial physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. Patients with acute kidney injury and end-stage renal disease, especially if they are older, often undergo prolonged hospitalizations, greater use of intensive medical treatment, and limited survival. Unfortunately, most nephrologists are not trained to conduct shared decision-making conversations to elicit patients' values, preferences, and goals for treatment and address their patients' multifactorial suffering. These patients would benefit from the integration of supportive care principles into their care. This article addresses how supportive care specialists can collaborate with nephrology clinicians to provide patient-centered supportive care and identifies resources to assist them in this endeavor.