CKD impacts 36 million adults in the U.S.—and a staggering 90% of those who have it are unaware of their condition. Historically, connections between cardiovascular and kidney diseases, as well as between metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, have been recognized. However, recent research has increasingly highlighted the interconnectedness of all three, pointing out shared risks and disease pathways.
In January 2025, NCQA convened a panel of experts including primary care clinicians, nephrologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, pharmacists, patient representatives—to discuss ways to drive improvement in the quality of care for people with CKD. The Advancing Care for Chronic Kidney Disease: Using Care Gaps to Inform a Quality Framework white paper captures the dynamic discussions and insights from this convening, presenting actionable recommendations to close CKD care gaps and charting a roadmap for future quality measures.
In May and September 2025, NCQA reconvened the roundtable to discuss ways to improve the quality of care for CKM syndrome. The Cardiovascular-Kidney Metabolic Syndrome: Improving Quality of Care and Accountability white paper captures insights from the second and third convenings, including in-depth conversations between patient representatives and clinicians, researchers, and educators with expertise in primary care, obesity, nephrology, diabetes, endocrinology, pharmacy, hepatology and cardiology about emerging concepts in quality measurement for CKM syndrome.
Inside The White Papers:
- Expert Insights: A comprehensive summary of the panel’s perspectives on CKD and CKM syndrome prevention, screening and management.
- Quality Care Elements: Key components of high-quality CKD and CKM syndrome care, and obstacles to achieving these goals.
- CKD’s Role in CKM syndrome: An in-depth look at CKD within the broader context of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.
- Actionable Recommendations: Strategic proposals to bridge CKD and CKM syndrome care gaps.
- Future Framework: A forward-thinking framework for CKD and CKM syndrome prevention, screening and management quality measures.
Sponsorship Support
Thanks to our panel of experts for sharing their knowledge and insights. This research is made possible with support from Boehringer Ingelheim and Novo Nordisk.
