California Ending Disparities in CKD Leadership Summits

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major public health issue that is underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and sees longstanding health disparities that disproportionately impact BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, undocumented, and other disinvested communities. Of the estimated 4.4 million adults in California living with CKD, 3.960 million are unaware of their diagnosis. Meanwhile, about 22% of Californians at-risk¹ for CKD are being properly tested. 

Recognizing that a community-based, multi-dimensional approach is necessary to overcome these challenges, the National Kidney Foundation is advancing a Collective Impact strategy to develop and advance equitable solutions to improve CKD testing and diagnosis in primary care. These Ending Disparities in CKD Leadership Summits will convene stakeholders to participate in a series of “Learning and Action Workgroup” meetings.

We hosted a Bay Area Ending Disparities in CKD Leadership Summit in March 2024, and will be hosting a Southern California Summit in June 2025. Please refer to each region’s individual pages for further detail, and to this page for future state-wide initiatives. 

• Bay Area Summit 

• Southern California Summit

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¹ “At-risk” is defined as having diabetes, hypertension, or both.

Using a multi-phase stakeholder engagement process, NKF will create the conditions for Collective Impact—influential champions, adequate financial resources, and a sense of urgency for change—to drive change in the Bay Area.

Recognizing that a community-based, multi-dimensional approach is necessary to overcome these challenges, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) launched the Bay Area Ending Disparities in CKD Stakeholder Summit. As a part of a national NKF Collective Impact strategy, Bay Area stakeholders are implementing a roadmap to drive a cultural shift in primary care toward increasing the early diagnosis and management of CKD.

References: 

1. Hanley Brown, F. Kania, J. and Kramer, M. Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work. Stanford Social Innovation Review. 2012. https://doi.org/10.48558/2T4M-ZR69  
2. Szczech, Lynda A., et al. “Primary Care Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults with Type-2 Diabetes: The ADD-CKD Study (Awareness, Detection and Drug Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease).” Public Library of Science, 26 Nov. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0110535
3. “Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Surveillance System: Awareness.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://nccd.cdc.gov/ckd/detail.aspx?QNum=Q97#refreshPosition
4. Brock, Matt. “Kidney Health: A New HEDIS Measure.” NCQA Blog, 16 Jul. 2020. https://blog.ncqa.org/kidneyhealth/
5. “Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2021.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Mar. 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/kidneydisease/pdf/Chronic-Kidney-Disease-in-the-US-2021-h.pdf
6. Alfego D, Ennis J, Gillespie B, Lewis MJ, Montgomery E, Ferrè S, Vassalotti JA, Letovsky S. Chronic Kidney Disease Testing Among At-Risk Adults in the U.S. Remains Low: Real-World Evidence From a National Laboratory Database. Diabetes Care. 2021 Sep;44(9):2025-2032. doi: 10.2337/dc21-0723. Epub 2021 Aug 5. PMID: 34353883; PMCID: PMC8740927.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to us! 

• Nina Sherpa-Pine (she/her/hers/any pronouns used respectfully), Director of Community Impact and Health Partnerships: nina.sherpapine@kidney.org
• Mallory Caron (she/her/hers), Senior Manager Population Health Partnerships, mallory.caron@kidney.org