Nephrology referral for chronic kidney disease patients

We read with interest the article by von Samson-Himmelstjerna and Steiger et al. on factors associated with referral of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to nephrologists.1 The authors conducted a nationwide survey in Germany to analyze the factors associated with rates of referral to nephrologists and to determine the influence of referral on the quality of CKD care. The study is highly commendable, as it provides a rationale for measures to improve rates of referral to nephrologists, which is key to addressing CKD at the population level.