A few weeks ago, former HHS Secretary Alex Azar shed light on the flawed kidney care system in the US. Secretary Azar highlighted the complexity and challenges of a broken system resulting in massive human and financial cost implications, with sub-optimal outcomes for people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD). How high are these costs? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out that every 24 hours, 360 people start dialysis for kidney failure, and approximately 37 million US adults are estimated to have CKD, most undiagnosed.
One of the reasons why the system is so costly is lack of understanding on the importance of potassium monitoring. We write this piece today on May 1st, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) National High Potassium Awareness Day, to bring awareness to the devastating effects that high potassium levels can have on individuals living with kidney disease.
It is important to remember that potassium is an important mineral and electrolyte, essential for the proper functioning of the human body. It serves a crucial role in maintaining heart rhythm, muscle contraction, nerve function, and fluid balance. Imbalances in potassium levels, or dyskalemia, can interfere with these critical physiological functions. The National Kidney Foundation notes: high levels of potassium in the blood (called hyperkalemia) is unpredictable and can be life-threatening. It can cause serious heart problems and sudden death. There are often no warning signs of hyperkalemia, meaning a person, especially someone with CKD/ESRD, can have high potassium without knowing it.
There are many metrics that must be closely monitored for people with CKD or ESRD. Hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen) and hematocrit (percentage of red blood cells in your blood) are federally mandated to be monitored. But little is done by the Federal government to encourage or incentivize potassium monitoring even though the positive impact of potassium monitoring for people living with CKD/ESRD is well documented.
An estimated 3.7 million US adults have hyperkalemia every year, and this prevalence rate will continue to increase as more and more patients fall into ESRD. One study estimates the total annual hospital charges for patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of hyperkalemia was $1.2 billion, with $29,181 per stay.
This same study figures that patients with hyperkalemia-related hospitalizations incurred $30,379 per stay, as well as higher 1-year total all-cause costs ($68,861 vs. $38,482), more than two times higher rates of hospital admissions, and higher emergency department visits than the non-hyperkalemia cohort. Put simply, being able to measure potassium levels for ESRD and CKD patients can save lives, reduce hospitalizations and save costs.
These soaring costs can be preventable with personalized medicine and continuous monitoring. However, despite the myriad of devices and technologies, there is a lack of solutions that are cost efficient and personalized for the patient – that take into account a person’s daily activities, lifestyle, dietary preferences and even skin tone.
There is a lack of awareness around potassium. However, with the technology and knowledge available today, we can monitor it closely and realize its impact on patients’ everyday lives and overall care management. More needs to be done around potassium - so we also urge Congress, CMS and the kidney community to place a heightened emphasis on potassium monitoring and increasing awareness around the importance of potassium as a crucial factor in enhancing kidney care.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/basics.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7403556/
Eric D. Hargan, Founder and CEO, The Hargan Group; Mr. Hargan has 30 years of experience working for the public and private sectors and unique insight and experience working for the U.S. Government. He served as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 2017 to 2021, as well as Acting Secretary in 2017-2018. From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Hargan also served at HHS in a variety of capacities, including holding the position of Acting Deputy Secretary. Eric helped oversee the set-up and launch of the KidneyX and the HHS Kidney Health Initiative. Since leaving his post at HHS, Hargan has joined the boards of Alio, University Hospitals in Cleveland, Tomorrow Health, and HealthTrackRx. Follow him on Twitter: @EricDHargan.
David Kuraguntla, CEO and Co-Founder of Alio: Dave is the Co-Founder and CEO of Alio, a noninvasive remote monitoring company dedicated to improving the lives of those living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other chronic conditions. Dave received his master's degree from Boston University and was a researcher at the National Institutes of Health. He then went to medical school on an Air Force scholarship. He was preparing for a surgical residency when he experienced firsthand the need for better technological solutions for those with chronic conditions. Drawing on his experience, he began to explore the potential of noninvasive wearables for conditions like End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) and started Alio. Alio's SmartPatch is a multi-metric wearable and the world's first non-invasive potassium monitor. The Alio® Platform, powered by the SmartPatch, hub, and portal, is FDA-cleared to monitor potassium, hematocrit, hemoglobin, auscultation, heart rate and skin temperature – all without the need for blood draws, finger prick or microneedles. Follow them on Twitter: @WeAreAlio
