Development of an Electronic Health Record (EHR)-Based Dashboard to Support Home Dialysis Program Implementation

Background: Effective tracking and coordination are essential for increasing home dialysis utilization. To support a quality improvement initiative aimed at expanding home dialysis at Geisinger, we developed a customized electronic health record (EHR) dashboard using Epic Systems. Methods: We leveraged Epic’s Reporting Workbench and “Find Orders” template to create a dynamic report that identifies patients referred to our home dialysis education program. The dashboard displays key clinical and demographic data, including age, sex, most recent estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) scores. To enhance documentation and follow-up, we developed note templates with smart data elements that capture patient contacts, identified barriers, and action items. Additionally, we modified an existing chronic kidney disease (CKD) SmartForm to include home dialysis-specific milestones such as home visit completion, access creation, dialysis start date, and modality type. These data elements were integrated into filterable columns within the dashboard, enabling care teams to efficiently identify and prioritize patients in need of intervention. Results: The EHR dashboard has streamlined patient tracking and facilitated timely, coordinated care. It enables real-time visibility into patient progress and supports proactive outreach by multidisciplinary teams. The integration of structured data elements has improved documentation consistency and enhanced the ability to monitor program outcomes. Conclusion: Our customized EHR dashboard represents a scalable, data-driven approach to supporting home dialysis program implementation. By embedding key tracking elements into clinical workflows, this tool enhances care coordination and may serve as a model for other institutions seeking to improve home dialysis uptake. Funding: Private Foundation Support