In 1995, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) began the development of what would become the first broadly accepted clinical practice guidelines in nephrology, now known as KDOQI—Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative. The first guidelines were published in 1997, and today there are 13 guidelines, which have made a major difference in the quality of care for kidney patients in the United States and worldwide.
With the publication of the Clinical Practice Guidelines and Clinical Practice Recommendations for Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease in February 2007, KDOQI achieved its primary goal of producing evidence-based guidelines on the thirteen aspects of CKD care most likely to improve patient outcomes. We now seek to apply the knowledge acquired in the development and refinement of the KDOQI processes to improve clinical practice through a broader range of activities.