Comparing Nephrologists' Self-Reported Decision-Making Skills and Treatment Attitudes With Their Patients' Experiences of Making Kidney Therapy Decisions and Receiving Nephrology Care

Background: Dialysis is often initiated in the United States without exploring patients' preferred decision-making style, and conservative kidney management (CKM) is infrequently presented. To improve kidney therapy (KT) decision-making, research on nephrologists' comfort with various decision-making styles, attitudes towards CKM, and reports of patients' lived experiences with KT decision-making is needed.

Methods: We surveyed 28 nephrologists and 58 of their patients aged ≥75 years. The nephrologist survey was designed to gauge their comfort levels with decision-making styles and attitudes towards CKM. The patient survey assessed experiences in making KT decisions.

Results: The average age of nephrologists was 43 years, and that of patients was 82 years. Nephrologists rated themselves as comfortable with various decision styles: paternalistic (60.7%), shared decision-making (92.8%), and patient-driven decision-making (67.8%). Nearly 57% of nephrologists felt challenged or were neutral in determining CKM's suitability, and 39% reported difficulties in discussing CKM with patients or were neutral. Only 38 % of patients recalled discussing CKM with their nephrologists, and a minority reported discussing CKM-related topics such as life expectancy (24.7%), quality of life (QOL) (45.1%), and end-of-life care (17.5%).

Conclusions: Most nephrologists displayed comfort with various decision-making styles; however, many described difficulties in guiding patients toward CKM. In contrast, patients reported gaps in vital aspects of KT decision-making and CKM choices, such as discussions of life expectancy, QOL, and end-of-life care. Raising awareness of blind spots in decision-making skills and educating nephrologists in KT decision-making to include CKM and other person-centered aspects of care are needed.