Evaluation of a WhatsApp-Based Multidisciplinary Cardiorenal Consultation Model for Hospitalized Patients

Background: Cardiorenal syndrome requires coordinated cardiology–nephrology management, but timely multidisciplinary input is often difficult to achieve in routine inpatient care. Smartphone-based messaging platforms such as WhatsApp are widely used informally by physicians, yet their structured use for inpatient cardiorenal teleconsultation has been scarcely evaluated. Methods: A single-center retrospective observational study of hospitalized adults with cardiorenal syndrome, discussed in a closed WhatsApp group that included consultant cardiologists, consultant nephrologists, and residents, between October 2023 and November 2025. Feasibility endpoints included response rate, response times, and degree of multidisciplinary participation. Clinical variables and management actions were extracted from chats and charts. Results: Of the 49 patient-related posts, 36 met the inclusion criteria for a complete analysis. The mean age was 58.5 ± 15.5 years, and 63.9% were male. The most prevalent cardiac diagnosis was pulmonary edema (30.6%), whereas acute kidney injury was the most prevalent kidney disease presentation (61.1%). More than 90% of teleconsultation posts received at least one consultant reply. Management actions among 34 answered posts included treatment modification in 24 patients, additional routine laboratory testing in 14, advanced investigations in 5, and specific interventions in 7. Conclusions: A WhatsApp-based multidisciplinary group achieved rapid and frequent consultant responses and subsequently requested management actions. Such doctor-to-doctor telenephrology models may augment existing cardiorenal services, provided that robust governance and data-protection frameworks are in place.