Thousands of people living with diabetes across West Yorkshire are using pioneering new technology available via the NHS to test for chronic kidney disease at home. There’s no need to visit a GP practice, thanks to an app which turns an ordinary smartphone camera into a clinical-grade medical device.
The Minuteful Kidney test, created by healthtech company Healthy.io, enables home-based urine testing. This is critical for picking up early signs of chronic kidney disease, a complication of diabetes.
One in ten people in the UK suffer from chronic kidney disease. This a long-term condition where the kidney function gradually declines, with under-diagnosis leading to 40,000 premature deaths every year.
Also known as the ‘silent killer’ because there are no symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage, chronic kidney disease is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It can also cause kidney failure, and sufferers may eventually need dialysis and in some cases, a kidney transplant. Because these complications cost the NHS in England around £1.5 billion every year to treat, early detection is helping the NHS save money but more importantly, it’s ensuring that some people avoid the horror of dialysis, transplant or cardiac events.
Since being rolled out by the Partnership last year, over 11,600 people with diabetes have used the Minuteful Kidney test. Tests taken so far have the potential to detect almost 1,500 additional cases of chronic kidney disease that would otherwise have gone undetected. In addition, it’s estimated that the facility for home testing and early detection could save the local NHS in West Yorkshire around £8.6 million over the next five years.
If the test does detect early signs of chronic kidney disease, patients can then receive guidance on lifestyle changes and medication to help slow progression or stop it getting worse. With this follow up in place, the tests taken to date could help avoid 148 cases of end stage renal disease and 38 deaths in West Yorkshire over the next five years.
This collaboration with Healthy.io is a perfect example of how medical innovations can be adopted by health and care systems resulting in significant improvements in patient care.