Welcome
What is CKD?
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) happens when your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter the blood properly. This causes waste and toxins to build up in the body, which healthy kidneys usually remove. The damage can happen slowly over a long period of time without any obvious symptoms. Many people don’t realize they have kidney damage until it’s more serious.
For more information on CKD, how it’s diagnosed, and how to manage visit My Kidneys My Health
Why is kidney health important?
Your kidneys are bean shaped organs that make urine and remove waste and extra water from your blood. They help keep the right balance of important minerals in the blood like sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Kidneys also help control blood pressure, make red blood cells, and make some hormones that are important for your bones.
Why did I receive a letter in the mail?
As part of the CKD Safety Net Program, you received a letter because you lab tests show you may have damage and you may benefit from seeing a kidney doctor. You were randomized (by chance) into the group to receive the letter and are invited to an in-person appointment at the kidney health clinic at Seven Oaks General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Who funded this program?
This program is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and is a part of a national program named
Can-SOLVE CKD, which is working to improve kidney care.
The CKD Safety Net program is a study by kidney doctors at the University of Manitoba.
The goal of the CKD Safety Net program is to find people in Manitoba who might be at risk of kidney failure but have not seen a kidney doctor yet. All laboratory tests completed in Manitoba in the past 2 years were used to identify these people.
Half of the people identified will get a letter with an invitation for an in-person appointment with the kidney team at Seven Oaks General Hospital. The other half will not get a letter and will continue with regular care. This will help us to see if sending letters lead to better health outcomes compared to regular care. This program is similar to other public health screening programs for chronic diseases like breast, colon, or prostate cancer. It helps make sure that people have a chance to have to check their kidney health and get treatments early to protect their kidneys.
What is the CKD Safety
Net Program?
Principal Investigator
The Principal Investigator leading this research program is:
Dr. Navdeep Tangri
Seven Oaks General Hospital
2LB19-2300 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2V 3M3
Dr. Tangri is a kidney doctor at Seven Oaks General Hospital and researcher with the University of Manitoba.
Program information
The CKD Safety Net program is a trial by nephrologists at the University of Manitoba (HS25871H2023:052). The goal of the CKD Safety Net program is to use all laboratory tests completed in Manitoba in the past 2-years to identify all adults in Manitoba who are at high-risk of progressing to kidney failure but do not have a record of having seen a nephrologist. We believe these patients may benefit from specialist care.
Half of the individuals we identify will be randomized to receive the intervention, and the other half will be randomized to the control group. The intervention group will receive a letter inviting them to attend a kidney disease screening session at Seven Oaks General Hospital with a clinical assistant and nephrologists. After this, they will receive routine kidney care, as per guidelines. This will help us to see whether sending out letters improves health outcomes over the usual standard of care. This process is similar to other public health screening programs for chronic diseases like breast, colon, or prostate cancer to ensure that individuals are offered an opportunity to have their kidney health checked, and access treatments.
How will patient information be communicated to me?
Should the participant attend an appointment at the kidney clinic, all information will be communicated as per usual standard of care.
For Healthcare Providers
CONTACT US
CONTACT US
How to contact the program research team
You can contact the project office at
204-632-3541 and inform the office that you wish to discuss the CKD Safety Net project.
After speaking with a member of the program team and learning more about the program, we will help book your appointment at the kidney health clinic at Seven Oaks General Hospital.