Implementing an Annual Renal Function Screening Protocol in Primary Care

Early detection of renal damage in diabetic and hypertensive patients in the primary care setting was the focus of a quality improvement project. A protocol requiring renal function screening for 150 patients meeting the inclusion criteria was implemented in a southern, rural primary care clinic. A pre- and postintervention chart review determined if the intervention was significant in increasing the number of renal function screenings preformed. The results indicated that implementing the protocol did indeed increase the number of renal function screenings performed and identified undiagnosed chronic kidney disease.