RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The follow-up of renal transplant recipients by telephone consultation: three years experience from a single UK renal unit
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 242
OP 246
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.11-3-242
VO 11
IS 3
A1 Andrew Connor
A1 Frances Mortimer
A1 Robert Higgins
YR 2011
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/11/3/242.abstract
AB Although telephone consulting is increasingly used by clinicians seeking to balance rising caseloads, heightened patient expectation and the desire to ensure continued improvements in the quality, convenience and accessibility of the care they provide, its use to provide care to renal transplant recipients has not previously been described. Climate change is a major global public health threat. However, the provision of healthcare itself has a significant environmental impact. A transformation to lower carbon clinical care must be achieved without detriment to the quality of the patient care. This article reports the use of telephone consultation clinics to provide follow-up to renal transplant recipients over a three-year period. The benefits of this service to patients, providers and the environment are outlined, the existing literature regarding the provision of virtual care to patients with kidney disease is reviewed, and the possibilities of more widespread adoption are discussed