#9 - Understanding Kidney Disease: Insights from Acute Care with Lilian Okonkwo

Welcome back to Action Potential, join us this week as we welcome Lilian Okonkwo, Senior Director of Hospital Services at Strive Health.

What you'll get from this episode:

• Patient Vulnerability and Education: Lilian Okonkwo emphasizes the crucial role of patient education in acute care settings, particularly for those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The moment of hospitalization often marks a point of vulnerability and openness to learning about their condition and treatment options.
• Transition to Value-Based Care Programs: The transition from hospital to value-based care programs is highlighted as a vital step in managing kidney disease. These programs focus on continuous education and care coordination, which are key to reducing hospital readmissions and improving patient outcomes.
• Dietary Guidance and Medication Management: A significant part of managing kidney disease involves educating patients about diet and medication. Value-based care provides resources like dietitians and medication management to help patients slow disease progression and manage their condition effectively.
• Importance of Remote Monitoring: Lilian Okonkwo discusses the potential of remote monitoring in kidney care, especially for tracking vital parameters like creatinine and potassium levels. This technology could enable better disease management and prevent hospital readmissions.
• Future Aspirations in Kidney Care: The conversation concludes with a hopeful outlook on future advancements in kidney care, including new technologies and approaches to managing the disease more effectively and improving patient quality of life.

Thank you to our sponsor ProtonIntel: “At ProtonIntel, we are building the first real-time, continuous potassium monitoring wearable, allowing clinicians to treat and manage kidney disease patients more safely and precisely. Life-saving treatments that cannot be deployed when patients have dangerous K+ levels today will be unlocked for safe and optimal use."

Learn more about Lilian Okonkwo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilian-okonkwo-msn-rn-agnp-bc-b646064a/

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This show is part of the Slice of Healthcare podcast network: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sliceofhealthcare/