08/27/2026
How can health systems better coordinate care for patients whose conditions span the heart, kidneys, and metabolism?
In a recent The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) roundtable, Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA, Director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, moderated a discussion on closing gaps in cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) care.
CKM syndrome reflects the interconnected relationship among cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. The panel emphasized that caring for these patients requires greater coordination across specialties, with clear accountability for each patient and earlier identification of those at risk.
The discussion also explored practical strategies to strengthen care, including multidisciplinary collaboration, expanding the roles of nurses and pharmacists, improving kidney disease screening, and using health system infrastructure to help patients navigate complex care.
As Dr. Bhatt emphasized, successfully addressing CKM syndrome will require collaboration across the entire care team to turn emerging guidelines into meaningful improvements for patients.
Read more:
Fix cardiorenalmetabolic care gaps: define ownership, task-shift screening, boost uACR testing, and tackle obesity-driven equity barriers.