Shared Decision Making in Dialysis (DIAL-SDM)

Pilot Testing of a Communication Intervention to Promote Shared Dialysis Decision Making in Older Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (DIAL-SDM Trial)

Older patients ≥65 years with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face challenges in decision making about dialysis. These patients report little effort by physicians to elicit treatment preferences, discuss prognoses, or explain the burdens/benefits of dialysis options including conservative management. Older patients with CKD often prefer maintaining the quality of life over prolonging life, and many regret their decision to start dialysis: nearly one quarter withdraw from dialysis each year. Shared dialysis decision-making requires active engagement between nephrologists and patients to align patient, caregiver, and physician communication around common goals. The proposed study is a pilot randomized cluster trial of a dialysis shared decision-making (DIAL-SDM) intervention for nephrologists (n=20) and their patients ≥65 years old (n=60) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of ≤ 20 ml/min/ /1.73 m2. Nephrologists in the Intervention Group will receive 3 communication training sessions, delivered by a standardized patient instructor (SPI) who enact clinical scenarios and offer feedback. In parallel, patients (and caregivers, if available) will receive 2 coaching sessions provided by health coaches, who will explore each patient's relevant contextual information (values, preferences, and goals), and help them identify and practice important questions for their nephrologist. Nephrologists in the Control Group will provide their patients with usual care. The study outcomes will be assessed during two nephrology office visits and at 6 months.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Kidney Diseases; End Stage Renal Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: DIAL-SDM; Other: usual care

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 102
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
      • University of Rochester

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years and older (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For nephrologist:

• Member of Strong nephrology group working at Strong Memorial Hospital
• Treat patients with CKD

For patients:

• Age ≥65 years old
• Presence of advanced CKD stage 4 or 5 (i.e. e GFR ≤ 20 ml/min)
• Patient's nephrologist is enrolled in the study, and has seen that nephrologist at least once
• Speaks English
• Have not attended a dialysis education class or met with the dialysis education coordinator.
• Have not made a dialysis decision

For Caregivers:

• Self-identified caregiver (per definition:"family member, partner, friend or someone else who is involved with your health care issues, for example, someone who you talk to about personal issues including medical decisions or who comes to doctor appointments with you. This person may also help with routine day-to-day activities, like transportation or paperwork.")
• 21 years of age or older.

Exclusion Criteria:

For Nephrologists:

- Expecting to leave in six months.

For Patients:

• Patient has already been seen by a palliative care clinician or is enrolled in hospice
• Is already on dialysis
• Hospitalized at the time of recruitment
• Cognitive impairment
• Does not speak English

For Caregivers:

• If Support is offered primarily in a professional role (e.g., clergy).
• Cognitive impairment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: intervention	Behavioral: DIAL-SDM; Communication intervention for nephrologists and coaching intervention for patients.
Other: control; Usual care	Other: usual care; regular nephrology care

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean Feasibility of Intervention Measure	Feasibility was assessed using a structured questionnaire that asked participants whether the coaching, question prompt list, booklet, and videos seemed possible, doable, easy to use, and able to be carried out in practice. Each item was rated on a scale from 1 ("completely disagree") to 5 ("completely agree"). Item scores were summed for each participant to create a total feasibility score, ranging from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 20, with higher scores indicating greater feasibility. Assessments occurred at 12 and 14 weeks post-baseline; all data collected within this window were averaged to yield a single value per participant, and group means were reported.	Approximately 12-14 weeks
Mean Acceptability of Intervention Measure	Acceptability was assessed using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure. Patients and caregivers rated comfort with coaching, helpfulness for dialysis decision making, and likelihood to recommend it, as well as the question prompt list, booklet, and videos. Items were scored 0 to 4 and summed to total scores ranging from 6 to 15, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability and a more favorable outcome. Nephrologists rated approval, appeal, and acceptance of the coaching intervention on a 1 to 5 scale, summed to total scores ranging from 4 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability and a more favorable outcome. Assessments were collected 12 to 14 weeks post baseline and averaged per participant.	Approximately 12-14 weeks
Mean Total Fidelity of Intervention Measure	Fidelity of coaching sessions was assessed using standardized Patient Coach Fidelity Check Forms for each session type: First Visit (maximum score = 51), Second Visit (maximum score = 42), and Follow-Up Phone Call (maximum score = 33). Each item was rated from 0 ("not at all") to 3 ("completely"). For each participant, scores from the First Visit, Second Visit, and Follow-up Call were converted to percentages (0-100%), then averaged to create a single fidelity score per participant, reflecting coaching quality across all sessions. Higher scores indicate greater fidelity. Assessments occurred between 12 and 14 weeks post-baseline; all data collected within this window were averaged to yield a single value per participant, and group means were reported.	Assessed across all coaching sessions (First Visit, Second Visit, and Follow-Up Call) over approximately 12-14 weeks post-baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Rochester
• Collaborators: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 28, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 14, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 14, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 1, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 12, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): May 18, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Male Urogenital Diseases; Kidney Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Renal Insufficiency; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00004907; K23DK121939 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No