(Brussels, Belgium) – – – – Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) announces administrative changes to support its Remote Implementation Program. This program is an expansion and upgrade of KDIGO’s efforts to implement education based on Guidelines and Controversies Conference Reports electronically, rather than via live, in-person meetings.

A major component of this is the expansion of KDIGO’s Team, to add additional expertise related to electronic education and dissemination of scientific messages through a variety of platforms. These have always been part of KDIGO’s implementation efforts, but the organization is committed to making virtual meetings, electronic tools, and online education a major element of its post publication efforts.

Kathleen Conn of New York City has assumed the role of KDIGO’s Director of Corporate Communications. Kathleen will oversee new and existing educational platforms. She will develop an Implementation Communications Plan and ensure that all the resources KDIGO makes available to the global kidney community fit its traditional brand and continue its reputation for providing reliable, easy to use, and unbiased education on important nephrology topics.

Kathleen comes to KDIGO after more than a decade of work with major health organizations. These include University of Maryland Medical System, Atlantic Health System, Cleveland Clinic, New York City Health and Hospitals, as well as New York University – Langone Health. Her work with these institutions included internal communications, branding, marketing, and staff training. For many of these institutions, Kathleen led the communications program needed to implement the EPIC electronic medical records program. She is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Coral Cyzewski of New Orleans has joined the Team as Events Coordinator, working closely with Director of Events, Tanya Green. In 2020, many of the important events on KDIGO’s calendar will be held virtually. Coral will manage the logistics of these events and facilitate smooth outreach to target audiences around the world. Coral has spent years in education working with the Akili Academy in New Orleans and Bard College. She also taught English in Lugo, Spain. She is a graduate of Bard College.

 

“We are committed to staying in touch with global nephrology and bringing our work to clinicians. Our new staff and the great volunteer support we have make us sure that our impact on improving outcomes for patients will not diminish. Rather it will expand and strengthen since electronic communication is the preferred mode of outreach.”
– John Davis, KDIGO CEO 

 

In addition to growing the KDIGO Team, volunteers around the world will play major roles in KDIGO’s Remote Implementation Program. KDIGO’s Knowledge Translation Lead, Dr. Edgar Lerma of Chicago, will head a volunteer effort to develop web-based tools on the new 2020 Guidelines. Several KDIGO leaders also have recently or will lead virtual implementation activities on KDIGO publications, including KDIGO Co-Chairs Wolfgang Winkelmayer and Michel Jadoul and Co-Chairs of the upcoming Diabetes Guideline, Ian de Boer and Peter Rossing.

Specific plans under development by KDIGO include webinars, educational videos, podcasts, clinical decision guides, and visual abstracts. KDIGO also will launch a new electronic format for all upcoming guidelines and improved features to the KDIGO app. All of KDIGO’s Remote Implementation will be easily accessible on www.kdigo.org, downloadable and free of charge. KDIGO also continues to present webinars on important topics facilitated by the International Society of Nephrology.

KDIGO Chief Executive Officer, John Davis said, “We are committed to staying in touch with global nephrology and bringing our work to clinicians. Our new staff and the great volunteer support we have make us sure that our impact on improving outcomes for patients will not diminish. Rather it will expand and strengthen since electronic communication is the preferred mode of outreach. Doing this now is critical; but, it will endure far beyond this current crisis and become a signature part of KDIGO’s role in the community.”

 

KDIGO is a Belgian foundation committed to developing and implementing nephrology guidelines that improve patient outcomes on a global basis.

For further information please contact KDIGO at [email protected].

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