Abstract: 【Abstract】Objective To investigate the effect of a professional medical cluster for kidney diseases on medical quality in the hemodialysis center in Beijing East District First People's Hospital. Methods A total of 199 maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients treated in the Hemodialysis Center of Beijing East District First People's Hospital from Jan. 1, 2016 to Oct. 31, 2016 were assigned into a group before establishment of the professional medical cluster (pre-medical cluster group). A total of 181 MHD patients treated in the period between Nov. 1, 2016 and Aug. 31, 2017 were enrolled into a group after establishment of the professional medical cluster (post-medical cluster group). Hemodialysis management indicators, adverse events and medical expenses in a period of 10 months were compared between the two groups. Results In the MHD patients treated in the Hemodialysis Center of Beijing East District First People’s Hospital, the rates of satisfaction of target levels were significantly higher in post-medical cluster group than in pre-medical cluster group, which included hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum potassium and intact parathyroid hormone (70.2% vs. 51.3%, χ²＝14.153, P＜0.001 for hemoglobin; 43.1% vs. 25.1%, χ²＝13.700, P＜0.001 for ferritin; 87.3% vs. 79.4%, χ²＝4.219, P＝0.040 for potassium; 43.6% vs. 25.6%, χ²＝13.673, P＜0.001 for iPTH). Rate of adverse event was significantly lower in post- medical cluster group than in pre- medical cluster group (26.5% vs. 37.2%, χ²＝4.948, P＝0.026). Hospitalization expenses due to adverse events were significantly less in post-medical cluster group than in pre-medical cluster group. Conclusion The professional medical cluster for kidney diseases can improve hemodialysis management indicators, reduce adverse events and hospitalization expenses due to adverse events, and save medical insurance expenses, confirming that this medical cluster is feasible and useful.

Key words: Professional medical cluster for kidney diseases, Maintenance hemodialysis, medical quality