Square Knot Health, a leader in technology-driven kidney transplant care, has achieved outstanding results with its innovative care model designed to help patients navigate the complexities of kidney transplantation. The company’s unique approach streamlines the transplant process, improving access and outcomes for patients in need of kidney transplants.
Square Knot Health, a leader in technology-driven kidney transplant care, has reported groundbreaking results in improving access to kidney transplants. Nearly 25% of patients referred to Square Knot received a kidney transplant within an average of 1.6 years, with more than half of those patients receiving a kidney from a living donor—significantly surpassing typical transplant outcomes. These results were presented on October 26, 2024, at the 47th Annual Kidney Week Conference in San Diego.
Square Knot Health has made a significant impact on patients who previously struggled to gain access to the transplant list due to factors such as obesity, medical complications, incomplete tasks, geographic isolation, or other social determinants of health. With the support of Square Knot’s services, 42% of these patients were successfully added to the transplant waitlist, and 19% of them ultimately received a transplant.
The company’s success can be attributed to its innovative approach, which includes the use of Transplant Peer Navigators (TPNs), telehealth services, and artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the transplant process. Barriers to transplant are identified and addressed, living donors are identified and supported, and patients receive continuous guidance throughout their journey.
“We work independently but closely with multiple transplant centers, allowing us to direct patients to the centers where they are most likely to succeed,” said Dr. Eliot Heher, founder of Square Knot Health and a practicing transplant nephrologist. “For example, ten of the twenty-five patients who received a transplant in this report had initially faced challenges at their original center but were successfully transplanted at a second or third center with our guidance. We continue to support several patients on the transplant list as they move toward a future transplant.”
Jullie Hoggan, Square Knot’s co-founder and lead navigator, and a kidney transplant recipient herself, added, “Our patients deeply appreciate the support from someone who has been through the transplant process. They value the personalized care and clear, actionable information we provide. We are confident that our approach helps advance equity in kidney transplantation.”
AI-Driven Kidney Transplant Assessments
Square Knot Health also employs a proprietary AI model designed specifically for kidney transplant assessments. This technology helps scale their impact and support healthcare partners by automating the retrieval of complex medical records and assessing patient readiness for transplant. Patients with chronic kidney disease often have long and fragmented medical histories, and Square Knot uses AI to streamline medical record analysis and produce customized documentation for nephrologists, transplant centers, and other providers. The AI research team, patients.app, is embedded within Square Knot to enhance these efforts.
The Clinical and Economic Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 500,000 patients in the U.S., many of whom require ongoing dialysis. Despite evidence that kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for kidney failure, up to 75% of patients with kidney failure are never referred for a transplant, and 80% of those who are referred are neither listed nor transplanted within a year. Only 3% of patients who develop kidney failure each year receive a transplant as their first therapy, while the remaining 97% begin dialysis treatment.
The economic burden of chronic kidney disease continues to grow. The CKD market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.6% between 2023 and 2033. In 2022, Medicare spent over $95 billion to treat patients with CKD and approximately $53 billion on those with kidney failure. Kidney transplants are more cost-effective than dialysis and significantly improve patient survival and quality of life, especially when performed before the need for dialysis begins.
Square Knot Health’s innovative approach is helping to address these issues by providing more patients with access to life-saving kidney transplants and improving long-term outcomes. Through the use of AI and personalized navigation, Square Knot is advancing kidney transplant care and driving greater equity in the healthcare system.
