Arbor Research > Programs

The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns (DOPPS) Program

The mission of the DOPPS Program is to improve the patient experience of individuals with kidney disease by identifying links between international variations in clinical practices and outcomes. The studies within the DOPPS Program are designed to identify best practices for treating patients. Started as a hemodialysis study in 1996, the DOPPS now tracks over 70,000 patients from over 20 countries who are treated with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, or who have chronic kidney disease. By observing patients over time and correlating practices and outcomes in different medical settings around the world, the DOPPS helps researchers and care providers identify clinical practices and other modifiable characteristics that improve patient lives.

For more information about the program, published research, and how to partner with the DOPPS, please visit www.DOPPS.org.

Hemodialysis: DOPPS

The DOPPS is a prospective cohort study of hemodialysis practices based on the collection of observational longitudinal data for a sample of patients and dialysis facilities in twenty countries. The study helps researchers describe differences in practice patterns that correlate with differences in patient outcomes and understand the factors associated with these outcomes that will lead to improved patient care and lower mortality and morbidity. Over it’s more than 20-year history, the DOPPS has informed dialysis practice and policy in numerous areas, including vascular access, dialysis session length, quality of life, and the patient experience. Learn more about the DOPPS...

Peritoneal Dialysis: PDOPPS

The Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS) is is a groundbreaking research initiative for understanding and advancing optimal practices for PD therapy worldwide. The PDOPPS conducts clinical research to promote the appropriate use of PD, extend technique survival, and improve quality of life for PD patients. In the first phase of PDOPPS, 7629 patients from 215 dialysis facilities in seven participating countries participated (Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the US). Since its inception, PDOPPS has been a mutual collaboration with the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD); this includes the ongoing launch of the second phase of PDOPPS, extending data collection to Colombia and South Korea and focusing on novel areas of research. Get to know PDOPPS...

Chronic Kidney Disease: CKDopps

The Chronic Kidney Disease Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (CKDopps) examines treatment variation and practices associated with the best outcomes for patients with advanced CKD. We find reliable evidence about the impact of treatment options on patient survival, quality of life, delay/avoidance of dialysis, and cost analysis related to treatment. The overall goal is to develop an evidence base for the effective treatment of advanced CKD, thereby improving care and outcomes for future patients. The project research yields insightful, actionable findings relevant to patients, clinicians, policy makers, and other stakeholders regarding best treatment practices. The CKDopps team includes experts from Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and the US. Read more about CKDopps...

DOPPS Practice Manager: DPM

The DOPPS Practice Monitor is a free tool that shares timely findings from our studies: data are updated every four months, with only a three-to-four month lag between data collection and web posting. We provide dialysis data from a sample of over 11,000 patients in more than 200 US hemodialysis facilities. DPM data can be readily used through over 1500 regularly updated charts, figures, and data tables, research papers describing the DPM methods and findings, and recorded presentations of trends. See how DPM data can assist you...

Ancillary Studies

The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) has a long history of successful collaborations with investigators outside of Arbor Research Collaborative for Health. We are committed to collaboration with external investigators to maximize the scientific value of the wealth of data made possible by all the participating facilities and patients. To increase our potential impact on direct clinical care, our portfolio often includes focused ancillary studies.

Program Leadership

Senior Research Scientist

Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN

Senior Research Scientist
Investigator CKDopps

Roberto Silva Pecoits Filho, MD, PhD, FACP, FASN

Dr. Roberto Pecoits-Filho is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research and a full professor of Medicine at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) in Brazil, where he is a practicing Nephrologist and Clinical Researcher, acting as a Principal Investigator in multiple multicentric clinical trials. Dr. Pecoits-Filho holds a position as a Scientific Leader in clinical trials for the Americas for George Clinical, affiliated to the George Institute for Global Health. He received an MD degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana and Ph.D. from the University of São Paulo. He is currently the Principal Investigator of CKDOPPS, a multinational observational study currently including approximately 11,000 patients across the world. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN - 2016-2019) and of KDIGO (2015-2017). He is the Chair of the Education Committee of the ISN. Dr. Pecoits has published his research in over 300 papers in international indexed journals and lectured in over 50 countries around the world.
Distinguished Research Scientist

Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS

Senior Research Scientist
Investigator

Ron Pisoni, PhD, MS

Dr. Pisoni is a Senior Research Scientist at Arbor Research, and Deputy Principal Investigator for the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS). He has held key roles in the DOPPS since its international expansion in 1997. He earned a PhD from Wayne State University in biochemistry in 1981, completed post-doctoral studies at the VA Outpatient Clinic, Boston/Harvard Medical School and the University of Michigan (UM), and received an MS in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the UM School of Public Health in 1997. Before joining Arbor Research, he served as an assistant research scientist faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Internal Medicine at UM from 1987-1997.
DOPPS Program DIrector

Justin Albert, BA

DOPPS Program Director

Justin Albert, BA

Mr. Albert fulfills diverse strategy, business development, and management functions contributing to the growth and development of the Dialysis and Outcomes Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) Program of Arbor Research. Working with lead investigators and senior staff, he additionally provides high-level oversight to project, analytic, and programming teams to ensure respective work priorities and approaches are consistent within and across the portfolio of projects within the DOPPS Program. Prior to serving as Program Director, Mr. Albert spent five years as a Research Analyst during which time he co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and reports for industry sponsors. Mr. Albert joined Arbor Research in 2001 and possesses two decades of program management and leadership experience across all aspects of research and operations support of DOPPS. Mr. Albert graduated in 1998 from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Biology.