Musings about Race, Racism, and eGFR Adjustments
David Mendelssohn, MD, FRCPC
Topics: eGFR Adjustments, Race, Racism
Details
Objectives
- To understand why eGFR reporting was introduced and changes over time.
- To understand eGFR reporting strengths and weaknesses.
- To Interpret eGFR and adjust for age.
- To understand why race is likely to be removed from eGFR calculations and how that will impact your practice.
Faculty
David Mendelssohn MD, FRCPC
Division of Nephrology,
Humber River Hospital
Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto
David Mendelssohn is a member of the Division of Nephrology at the Humber River Hospital in Toronto, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He was born and raised in Montreal, graduated from Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine in 1983, and did post graduate training in internal medicine and nephrology in Toronto. He was on staff at the University Health Network (when it was called The Toronto Hospital), from 1989 – 1998, and then at St. Michael’s Hospital from 1998 – 2001. He was the Chief/Physician Director, Department of Nephrology, Humber River Hospital for 13 years until June, 2014. On December 2, 2019, he was named Interim Chief/Physician Director of the Department of Nephrology at the Humber River Hospital, which evolved into his recent title of Medical Director, Division of Nephrology, Humber River Hospital in November 2020.
He has been very active professionally, having served as Chair of the Ontario Medical Association Section on Nephrology, Chair of the Specialist Coalition of Ontario, Chair of the Toronto Region Dialysis Committee and Chair of the Professional and Public Policy Committee of the Canadian Society of Nephrology. He was co-Chair of the 2004/05 Toronto Dialysis Access Task Force. He was a member of the Ontario Medical Association’s negotiating committee in 1996 and 1997, and was a member of the joint Ontario Medical Association-Ontario Ministry of Health Physician Services Committee from 1997 – 1999.
Between January 2011 and November 2013 he was Provincial Lead, Research and Innovation for the Ontario Renal Network. He was presented the Canadian Society of Nephrology’s inaugural Award for Outstanding Service in 2011.
He was one of two original Canadian principle investigators for the multinational Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study (DOPPS) (2000-2016). His other research interests are: referral patterns and predialysis care, bioethics (resource allocation, end of life), dialysis modality distribution, continuous quality improvement, and renal economics. He has published more than 120 peer reviewed articles and book chapters.
And most important of all, he is married to Joy, a nephrology nurse clinician and has five wonderful kids, Jamie, age 31, Joshua age 30, Zachary age 25, Sam age 23, and Ryan, age 18 years.