Increased patient involvement has been show to result in better clinical outcomes and increased autonomy and to offer a way to control volume and costs of chronic healthcare. The main research... Show moreIncreased patient involvement has been show to result in better clinical outcomes and increased autonomy and to offer a way to control volume and costs of chronic healthcare. The main research question of this thesis was whether part of the kidney transplant aftercare can be delegated to patients without loss of quality of care. The results of the studies described show that self-monitoring kidney function after transplantation is an attractive option to kidney transplant patients and can lead to a significant decrease in number of outpatient visits without compromising on quality of care. Further, self-monitoring could offer a relatively cheap way to increase monitoring frequency, which could lead to earlier detection and treatment of complications and, consequently, improved clinical outcomes. To unravel the full potential of self-monitoring kidney function after transplantation, it is recommended to use accurate measurement devices that both patients and healthcare professionals have confidence in, design a protocol with the involvement of a multidisciplinary group that is truly representative of all stakeholders (including patients and physicians that are more critical of self-monitoring) and choose a study design that includes formative evaluations instead of summative evaluations alone. Show less
