The hidden threat: Primary care–driven strategies for earlier chronic kidney disease detection in Australia

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing and underdiagnosed public health challenge. General practitioners are central to early detection, yet missed opportunities persist. Evidence suggests up to 90% of stage 3 CKD remains unrecorded, despite simple, cost-effective screening and treatment that slows progression. With a projected 39% rise in the number of Australians with stage 3-5 CKD by 2034, immediate action is required. OBJECTIVE: Three roundtable meetings were conducted across Australia with 35 primary care providers and kidney experts to identify barriers and supporting solutions to increase CKD detection and diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Six themes were identified to improve early CKD detection: (1) education, audits and supportive technologies; (2) guideline harmonisation and a unified risk calculator; (3) automated pathology integrated into practice software, linked to the CKD management in primary care handbook and decision tools; (4) defined CKD codes reflecting staging and cause; (5) multidisciplinary communication and models of care; and (6) government policy and advocacy to raise public awareness.