Clinical sites
KitNewCare across Europe
The four sites were chosen from different parts of Europe:
- West: University medical centre Utrecht (UMC)
- South: Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) & Instituto investigación sanitaria fundación Jiménez Díaz (FJD)
- East: Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny (WUM)
University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC Utrecht )
UMC Utrecht is a leader in innovative and sustainable nephrology, focusing on regenerative medicine and the development of green healthcare solutions.
Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE)
UNIMORE, situated in one of Europe’s oldest universities, is renowned for its significant contributions to kidney care, including a vast range of dialysis techniques and kidney transplantation.
Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz (FJD)
Integrated within Madrid’s regional healthcare system, FJD offers comprehensive kidney disease and hypertension care, in collaboration with FRIAT for dialysis services.
Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny (WUM)
WUM specialises in nephrology, dialysis, and internal diseases, providing top-tier care for a variety of kidney-related conditions.
How sites were selected
These sites were strategically chosen for their expertise in kidney care and sustainable healthcare. They will be driving and applying the project’s innovation and research.
UMC was approached because of Peter Blankestijn‘s leadership in sustainable healthcare and Karin Gerritsen‘s pioneering work in innovative kidney care technologies. The decision to include sites from southern and eastern Europe was aimed at maximising the chances for success in the European grant application.
Subsequently, FJD was selected due to Alberto Ortiz‘s active role in sustainable kidney care and his membership in the European Renal Association.
UNIMORE was chosen for its large dialysis population and existing collaboration with UMC Utrecht, alongside its prominent role in green nephrology in Italy.
The WUM was included because of Jolanta Malyszko‘s reputation and her active involvement in green nephrology.
Methodology
The methodology for the KitNewCare project involves three key stages: Baseline Information Collection, Education, and Implementation and Improvement
This structured approach ensures that the project’s sustainable solutions are effectively integrated into clinical practice and continuously improved.
Baseline
Information from the clinical sites will be collected in terms of resource use (products used, waste disposed of procedures carried out as part of the patient pathway, staff travel distance, patient travel distance). This information will be collected by weighing clinical resources and measuring distances of products travelled etc. as part of standard life cycle assessment /environmental modelling.
Education
The project will provide to all hospital staff, a senior leadership programme to address sustainability challenges. It will also provide a bespoke sustainable kidney care course for clinical teams with online modules and practical workshops. The curriculum will evolve alongside new clinical pathways and innovations to benefit kidney units and healthcare organisations worldwide.
Implementation & Improvement
Quality improvement methods will provide a structured approach to the implementation of sustainable solutions at the clinical sites, as well as the evaluation of their success. Quality improvement is an established method of change management used in healthcare and tools used will include Plan-Do-Study-Act test cycles alongside sustainability principles and metrics.
Technologies implemented
KitNewCare will explore, co-develop and pilot technological innovations from high-tech SMEs and dialysis and kidney care providers at the 4 clinical sites.
The project will test and benchmark the innovations and share the gained knowledge among a European-wide network of associated clinical sites.
These include:
Advancements in water treatment for dialysis
Re-use of reverse osmosis reject water for alternative purposes, optimising the conversion rate of osmosis units and applying forward osmosis to produce dialysate and/or the reuse of spent dialysate.
Technologies that make use of renewable energy and/or reduce energy consumption
such as solar-assisted dialysis and use of heat exchangers for dialysate warming.
Technologies that reduce generation of biohazardous waste
such as use of centralised acid concentrate distribution systems for dialysis and dialyzer reprocessing systems.
