Editor’s Corner: November 2023

Abstract

Evaluate if using standardized template reporting for preoperative assessment of potential living renal transplant donors can improve the quality and comprehensiveness of CT reports, provide urologists with the necessary information to assess the feasibility of renal transplants, and reduce surgical complications. MethodologyFive Ontario-based hospitals with adult renal transplant programs participated in this study. A standardized reporting template for evaluating potential renal donors was created and ratified. CT scan reports of up to 100 consecutive adult donors per centre were collected and analyzed. Differences in outcome variable reporting pre-and post-implementation of the standardized template were tested using Z-tests. Compliance post-template implementation was measured. ResultsAt baseline, the reliability of reporting outcome variables was poor among the intervention groups. Following the implementation of a standardized reporting template, there was a significant improvement in the reliability of reporting all 13 outcome variables at each intervention centre. Compliance with utilizing the standardized template was also excellent.