Global challenges with providing vascular access care during COVID era

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected health care systems and dialysis access care in the US and across the globe. Beyond the initial challenges posed by the pandemic and despite the actions taken by health care leaders/organizations/professional societies such as the “Maintaining Lifelines for ESKD Patients” joint statement, there continues to be delays in providing timely care and performing elective and emergent dialysis access procedures worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the global challenges associated with providing dialysis vascular access care across the international vascular access community during the pandemic. Methods: The American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN) conducted an online survey in 2021, that was administered to an expert panel of dialysis vascular access specialists and global leaders spanning across the international community. The respondents who are members of ASDIN, Association of Vascular Access and InTerventionAl Renal physicians (AVATAR), Asia Pacific Society of Dialysis Access (APSDA), Peruvian Vascular Access Society (APDAV), and Australia/New Zealand Society of Interventional Nephrology (ANZSIN) reported their experiences in the care of dialysis vascular access, practice patterns, and challenges faced during the COVID pandemic. Results: Of the 53 individual surveys sent, 16 were opened and 11 (69%) responses were received from across the world and from different practice settings. The survey revealed the continued challenges facing the international community, the stark disparities in care delivery, supply chain disruption and logistical, regulatory, and financial issues that the global community continues to face in the ongoing pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID19 pandemic is far from over, and the challenges and barriers to providing dialysis access care seen on the initial ASDIN survey in the US seem to extend across the globe. We describe those results and discuss options, opportunities, and innovative tools to provide dialysis and access care during these trying times.