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Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO0542

Improvement of Successful Home Hemodialysis Training with GuideMe, a Novel Graphical Interface: A Retrospective Analysis

Session Information

Category: Dialysis

  • 802 Dialysis: Home Dialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis

Authors

  • Lasky, Rachel A., Renal Research Institute, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
  • Ficociello, Linda, Renal Research Institute, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
  • Usvyat, Len A., Renal Research Institute, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
  • Schiller, Brigitte, Fresenius Medical Care, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
Background

The well-documented clinical and quality of life benefits of home hemodialysis (HHD) result in an increasing number of patients with ESKD choosing this modality. However, successful completion of training presents an opportunity for improvement. The VersiHD with GuideMe Software (GM) is a hemodialysis machine designed to improve ease of learning and overall usability through step-by-step, illustration-based guidance. This retrospective analysis examines the results of completion of training and 90-day therapy continuation among patients starting HHD with VersiHD-GM versus patients starting HHD with VersiHD/System One without GuideMe (NO-GM).

Methods

Patients eligible for analysis were patients new to HHD, aged 18-89, starting HHD training between July 17 and Dec 31, 2024 at Fresenius Kidney Care centers. NO-GM patients were propensity score matched 1:1 to GM patients based on state, age, sex, race, ethnicity, BMI, vascular access, dialysis vintage, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and primary payor. Patients were followed from the first day of training until March 31, 2025.

Results

Groups were well-matched with mean age of 57 years, dialysis vintage of 1.8 years, and BMI of 31. The cohort of patients using the GuideMe software showed a 10% improvement in training completion compared to the patients not utilizing GuideMe, with 200/237 of the GM patients transitioning home versus 181/237 of the NO-GM patients. At 90 days, 172/200 GM patients were still dialyzing at home, representing 86% retention.

Conclusion

Patients using VersiHD with GuideMe had a 10% improvement in successful training completions. This suggests that step-by-step walkthrough guidance has a beneficial effect on HHD training.

Funding

  • Commercial Support – Fresenius Medical Care

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)