Improvement in the detection, diagnosis, and early treatment of chronic kidney disease in Spain. The IntERKit project.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a real public health problem. It is estimated that by 2040, approximately one in five adults will develop CKD, and that by 2050 it will be the third cause of death in Spain. However, CKD is clearly underdiagnosed, with low screening figures in the population at risk, often delaying its identification until advanced stages of the disease, which worsens prognosis and increases associated costs. In addition, drugs are now available that have been shown to reduce the progression of CKD and the risk of developing vascular complications. In this context, the early detection, diagnosis, and initial management of CKD by health organizations should become a priority, as this would reduce the burden of the disease substantially. Since this pathology is oligo, or paucisymptomatic in the initial stages, a proactive attitude is required from the health professional to detect, diagnose, and treat it early. Several publications have shown that, to date, neither the detection of CKD nor its initial management are optimal. The IntERKit project emerged with the aim of improving the early detection, diagnosis, and initial management of CKD by promoting collaboration with health organizations through tools easily implemented by these organizations. The IntERKit project provides healthcare organizations with a structured framework to optimize early management of CKD efficiently, achieving a real, measurable, sustainable, and scalable impact, which can evolve depending on the results obtained.