SUMMARY
Robert C. Albright Jr., D.O., researches the epidemiology, evaluation and treatment of people with acute kidney injuries who are in the intensive care unit. He also studies care processes and trajectories, predictive analytics, and advanced treatment for individuals within and outside of the hospital who need renal replacement therapy. Dr. Albright strives to develop new approaches to population, care team and systems management improvements. He does this while demonstrating improvement of the value equation for this vulnerable population. He studies interventions designed to enhance capacity and decrease the burden of chronic illness for people faced with serious kidney disorders.
Focus areas
- Acute kidney injury prediction and prevention. Dr. Albright works with hospital and intensive care unit teams to determine risk factors, prevention strategies and new treatments to improve outcomes among individuals with kidney failure. He studies short-term as well as long-term impact of this complication on patient's lives.
- Hospital and dialysis clinic outcomes with kidney replacement. Dr. Albright has led research concerning cardiovascular risks and anticoagulation strategies to improve outcomes for people with serious cardiovascular conditions including atrial fibrillation. He studies the impact of kidney failure and kidney replacement failure on protein metabolism and acid-base balance within the bloodstream. He also researches electrolyte abnormalities in patients' long- and short-term outcomes when they have kidney failure and kidney replacement failure.
- Enhancing care models specifically based on patient-centered outcomes. Dr. Albright continues to study the impact of care team makeup, care processes, and different virtual and digital platforms. He strives to decrease the burden of chronic illness and enhance decision-making capacity among vulnerable people with kidney conditions and kidney failure.
Significance to patient care
Sudden and long-term development of kidney conditions and rapid change in function are very common in the hospital, particularly the intensive care unit, with devastating outcomes to individuals and their loved ones. Dr. Albright's research is designed to predict, develop new therapies for, and establish effective patient-centered approaches to kidney conditions and kidney failure.
The tremendous risk and burden these conditions place on patients, their families and their loved ones is often greater than their ability to cope. Research showing effective and beneficial patient-centered, team-based treatment will help increase patient understanding, decision-making and, ultimately, quality of life among patients with chronic kidney conditions and acute or chronic kidney failure.
Professional highlights
- Regional vice president, Mayo Clinic Health System, Southeast Minnesota Region, Mayo Clinic, 2020-present.
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Mayo Clinic:
- Chair, 2014-2022.
- Vice-chair, 2010-2014.
- President, voting and consulting staff, Mayo Clinic Rochester, 2019-2020.
- Director, Mayo Clinic Dialysis Services, Mayo Clinic, 2000-2014.
- Teacher of the Year Award, Department of Internal Medicine, Hall of Fame Inductee, Mayo Clinic, 2009.
- Teacher of the Year Award, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2001, 2002, 2004.