IPRO software developers and quality improvement professionals have created exciting new technologies that will enhance data-driven management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by physicians, patients and care partners. IPRO's intuitive and freely-available mobile applications interface with the federal government's massive "Blue Button 2.0 Initiative," which permits access to and analysis of up to four years of given patient's entire Medicare claims history.

IPRO's CKD Screening App guides physicians in identifying patient CKD risk, selecting appropriate lab tests for diagnosis and making disease staging determination. The CKD Screening App also offers a "Conversation Starter" that helps clinicians initiate difficult conversations with patients and care partners regarding CKD as a serious clinical condition.

IPRO's patient-facing Kidney Choices mobile app has two tracks; one that facilitates access to CKD related claims history for lab tests, clinician visits , drug dispensing, and other pertinent information via Medicare Blue Button 2.0, while the other offers easy-to-understand explanations of advanced kidney disease treatment options including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplant and conservative care. Patients can access and customize a series of questions to ask healthcare providers.

"These physician-facing and patient-facing CKD management mobile apps represent a quantum leap in developing innovative resources that expand data-driven decision-making while better educating patients on difficult treatment options," according to Clare B. Bradley, MD, MPH, IPRO's Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

"I congratulate IPRO on being an early champion in the effort to create intuitive, online resources that a patient can access from a tablet or a cell phone," according to Ken D Teasley of the Patient Advisory Council (PAC).  "I don't think there's any question that this is the wave of the quality improvement future." 

A HIPAA-compliant health data organization, IPRO is a non-profit organization that works with government agencies, providers and consumers to implement innovative programs that bring policy ideas to life. For more than 35 years IPRO has made creative use of clinical expertise, emerging technology and data solutions to make the healthcare system work better.