September 17, 2026
Article By: Katelyn Laue, MPH, RD, LD and Mallory Caron, MPH
There are significant clinical and financial consequences to undiagnosed and unmanaged chronic kidney disease (CKD), which many health systems have overlooked in their financial planning assessments. To help healthcare organizations better understand the economic impact of CKD and the value of early intervention, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has developed a new business case calculator to estimate the potential return on investment for initiatives to improve screening, diagnosis and treatment of CKD.
This tool illuminates where undiagnosed and unmanaged CKD may be affecting the financial bottom line and quantifies the financial impact of improvements in recognition and management, based on the demonstrated impacts of evidenced based interventions.
Turning CKD Data into Actionable Financial Insights
The CKD Business Case Calculator was created to provide a practical, data-driven approach to evaluating the burden of CKD within a healthcare organization, using readily available data. Even organizations that have not thoroughly assessed the burdens of CKD within their population can use the tool to quantify the benefits of future interventions. The data outputs of the include:
- Potential burden of undiagnosed CKD within the organization’s population
- Financial implications of unmanaged disease progression
- Potential cost savings associated with earlier detection and management (total cost of care, hospitalizations and readmissions)
By combining clinical and financial considerations into a single tool, the calculator empowers organizations to better quantify the return on investment associated with proactive CKD strategies.
Supporting Strategic Conversations Across Healthcare Leadership
The calculator provides key background information and literature citations to support meaningful conversations with decision makers across healthcare organizations about the importance of identifying undiagnosed and unmanaged CKD. These talking points help users interpret results and communicate the business case effectively to system executives, finance teams, clinical leaders, and population health stakeholders.
Advancing the Future of Kidney Care
As healthcare organizations continue shifting toward value-based care models, tools that connect clinical outcomes with financial performance are becoming increasingly important. NKF’s CKD Business Case Calculator represents a significant step forward in helping organizations better understand the hidden costs of CKD and the opportunities associated with earlier intervention.
