EHR-linked tool aims to improve chronic kidney disease detection in primary care
Researchers developed and validated Treat CKD, a clinical decision support tool that uses electronic health record data to identify chronic kidney disease and classify risk. The tool also calculates kidney failure and cardiovascular risk and offers guideline-based recommendations for testing, treatment and referral. Primary care clinicians at UCSF found it easy to use and well integrated into workflows.
Treat CKD was developed and validated to help primary care teams spot chronic kidney disease using information already held in electronic health records. It sorts patients by KDIGO risk, estimates progression to kidney failure with the Kidney Failure Risk Equation, and estimates cardiovascular risk with American Heart Association PREVENT equations.
The tool also prompts albuminuria testing, blood pressure and cholesterol management, cardio-kidney therapies, and nephrology referral. UCSF primary care clinicians described it as simple to use and fitting their routines without major added burden. Its risk groups aligned with manual KDIGO assessment, and its kidney failure and cardiovascular scores matched manual calculations exactly. The work was shared at ASN Kidney Week 2026.
If adopted more widely, Treat CKD may help primary care clinicians identify kidney disease earlier and target testing and treatment to higher-risk patients. Adults with or at risk of chronic kidney disease could benefit from more consistent risk assessment and referral discussions, while health systems may see changes in workload and resource use. Because the evidence comes from one health system and clinician feedback, broader effects on outcomes, equity, and costs remain uncertain and would need further study.