RESUMO
Delivering urological humanitarian aid to countries with greater need has been provided by urologists associated with British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Urolink over the last 30 years. Urolink has realised the need to understand where that need is geographically, what tangible help is required, and how assistance can be delivered in the most ethically appropriate way. The World Bank stratification of countries by per capita gross national income has helped in the identification of low-come countries or lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), the vast majority of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. The medical and socioeconomic needs of those country's populations, which constitute 17% of the global community, are substantially different from that required in higher income countries. More than 40% of sub-Saharan Africa's population is aged <14 years, it has a substantially reduced life expectancy, which influences the type of pathologies seen, and perinatal complications are a major cause of morbidity for both mother and child. There is a significant problem with the availability of medical care in these countries and almost a third of global deaths have been attributed to the lack of access to emergency and elective surgery. Urologically, the main conditions demanding the attention of the very few available urologists are congenital anomalies, benign prostatic hypertrophy, urolithiasis, urethral stricture, and pelvic cancer. The management of these conditions is often substantially different from that in the UK, being limited by a lack of personnel, equipment, and access to geographically relevant guidelines appropriate to the healthcare environment. Assisting LMICs to develop sustainable urological services can be helped by understanding the local needs of linked institutions, establishing trusting and durable relationships with partner centres and by providing appropriate education that can be perpetuated, and disseminated, across a region of need.
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Países em Desenvolvimento , Necessidades e Demandas de Serviços de Saúde , Serviços de Saúde/provisão & distribuição , Cooperação Internacional , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia , África Subsaariana , Países em Desenvolvimento/economia , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde , Humanos , Avaliação das Necessidades , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Reino Unido , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Urológicos , UrologistasAssuntos
Antibacterianos , Cuidados de Baixo Valor , Uso Excessivo dos Serviços de Saúde , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios , Utilização de Procedimentos e Técnicas , Urinálise , Doenças Urológicas , Adulto , Antibacterianos/economia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Doenças Transmissíveis/diagnóstico , Doenças Transmissíveis/epidemiologia , Resistência Microbiana a Medicamentos/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Fidelidade a Diretrizes/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Masculino , Uso Excessivo dos Serviços de Saúde/economia , Uso Excessivo dos Serviços de Saúde/prevenção & controle , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios/métodos , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios/normas , Cuidados Pré-Operatórios/estatística & dados numéricos , Prevalência , Utilização de Procedimentos e Técnicas/economia , Utilização de Procedimentos e Técnicas/estatística & dados numéricos , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , Urinálise/economia , Urinálise/métodos , Urinálise/estatística & dados numéricos , Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Doenças Urológicas/urinaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Patients nowadays often search video-sharing platforms for online patient education materials. Since previous assessments of urological videos were limited to English, we systematically assessed the quality of videos on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate cancer (PCa), and urinary stone disease (USD) in 4 different languages on YouTube using validated instruments. METHODS: The search for videos on YouTube addressing treatment options of BPH, PCa, and USD was performed in October 2020 in -English, French, German, and Italian. Assessed parameters included basic data (e.g., number of views), grade of misinformation, and reporting of conflicts of interest. Quality of content was analyzed using the validated DISCERN questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 240 videos (60 videos in each language) were analyzed. Videos on USD in English had the highest number of views (median views 271,878 [65,313-2,513,007]). The median overall quality of videos assessed showed a moderate quality (2.5-3.4 points out of 5 points for DISCERN item 16). Median total DISCERN score of all videos divided by language showed very similar results: English (39.75 points), French (38 points), German (39.5 points), and Italian (39 points). Comparing the different diseases, videos about BPH showed the highest median scores, especially in German language (median score 43.25 points). CONCLUSIONS: Videos concerning the treatment of BPH, PCa, and USD have a low to moderate quality of content, with no differences seen between the languages assessed. These findings further support the notion of improved patient information materials on video platforms such as YouTube.
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Informação de Saúde ao Consumidor , Disseminação de Informação , Comportamento de Busca de Informação , Internet , Idioma , Educação de Pacientes como Assunto , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Gravação em Vídeo , Compreensão , Feminino , Comunicação em Saúde , Letramento em Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Hiperplasia Prostática/diagnóstico , Hiperplasia Prostática/terapia , Neoplasias da Próstata/diagnóstico , Neoplasias da Próstata/terapia , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Mídias Sociais , Cálculos Urinários/diagnóstico , Cálculos Urinários/terapia , Doenças Urológicas/diagnósticoRESUMO
PURPOSE: As the population gets older, the elderly and very elderly patients are increasingly been treated in nephrology intensive care units (ICU). In this study we evaluated the characteristics and outcomes of the octogenarians (80-89 years old), nonagenarians (≥ 90 years old) and compared them with elderly (65-79 years old) patients treated in nephrology ICU. METHODS: Eighteen nonagenarians, 70 octogenarians and 88 elderly patients were included in the study. Indication for hospitalization, presence of comorbid diseases, and requirement for acute dialysis treatment were investigated. Need for mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, central venous catheterization, urinary catheterization, anticoagulation, and transfusion of blood products were evaluated. Mortality rate and hospital cost were calculated. Data about survival at 1 month after discharge was collected. RESULTS: Causes of hospitalization, need for dialysis treatment, mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, central venous catheterization, urinary catheterization, anticoagulation, and transfusion of blood products were not different between age groups. Diabetes mellitus and malignancy were more frequent in elderly, whereas dementia/Alzheimer's disease was more common in nonagenarians. Although, mortality in ICU was increased as the age increased, it was statistically insignificant. However, 1 month mortality rate after discharge from hospital was increased especially in nonagenarians. In nonagenarians infection, whereas in octogenarians need for dialysis treatment, were related with mortality. Length of intensive care stay and hospital cost did not differ between age groups. CONCLUSION: Length of nephrology intensive care stay, mortality rate and hospital cost did not differ for very elderly age groups, but mortality risk was higher for nonagenarians after discharge from hospital.
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Custos Hospitalares , Unidades de Terapia Intensiva/economia , Tempo de Internação/economia , Doenças Urológicas/economia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Nefrologia , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
PURPOSE: Lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled urologists to change access to healthcare, especially for oncology patients. Teleconsultation is a safe way to receive medical advice without a risk of infection, and was implemented urgently in our academic centres. Our purpose was to evaluate patient and physician satisfaction with teleconsultation set up during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: From March 16th 2020, all face-to-face consultations were cancelled in France, except for emergencies. Teleconsultation was started immediately by five senior urologists in two academic hospitals. All patients received an email survey including the validated Teleconsultation Satisfaction Questionnaire (TSQ) and demographic questions. Data were collected prospectively. Physicians also responded to the TSQ. Patient satisfaction was measured objectively with the validated 14-item TSQ. Each item was scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Factors associated with positive satisfaction with teleconsultation were assessed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 105 patients replied to the survey (91.3%). Median age was 66 years (IQR: 55â71) and 95 were men (90.5%). Median overall TSQ score was 67 (IQR: 60â69); teleconsultation was judged to be a good experience by 88 patients (83.8%) and four physicians (80%). Patients who met their surgeon for the first time were more likely to have a good experience (OR = 1.2 [95% CI 1.1â1.5], p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Introduced rapidly during the COVID-19 lockdown, urology teleconsultation attained a high level of satisfaction among both patients and physicians. A major change in telemedicine use is foreseen in the post COVID-19 era.
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Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , COVID-19 , Preferência do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , Consulta Remota , Doenças Urológicas , Unidade Hospitalar de Urologia , Idoso , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Controle de Doenças Transmissíveis/organização & administração , Feminino , França/epidemiologia , Humanos , Masculino , Inovação Organizacional , Consulta Remota/métodos , Consulta Remota/normas , Consulta Remota/estatística & dados numéricos , Risco Ajustado/métodos , SARS-CoV-2 , Inquéritos e Questionários , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Unidade Hospitalar de Urologia/organização & administração , Unidade Hospitalar de Urologia/tendênciasRESUMO
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global health threat. This disease has brought about huge changes in the priorities of medical and surgical procedures. This short review article summarizes several test methods for COVID-19 that are currently being used or under development. This paper also introduces the corresponding changes in the diagnosis and treatment of urological diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. We further discuss the potential impacts of the pandemic on urology, including the outpatient setting, clinical work, teaching, and research.
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Teste para COVID-19 , COVID-19/diagnóstico , Padrões de Prática Médica , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologistas , Urologia , Assistência Ambulatorial , Educação de Pós-Graduação em Medicina , Humanos , Internato e Residência , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Técnicas de Reprodução Assistida , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Urologistas/educação , Urologia/economiaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Urological emergencies represent 7 % of the outpatients at the emergency department (ED). We assessed the effect of setting up a post-emergency consultation (CPU) after deferred urological medical regulation. METHODS: All patients admitted to the ED in a university center over the period December 2017 to July 2018 and for whom a CPU was scheduled were included. The regulation concerned the date of CPU and supplementary exams. The main outcome was the ability to provide an efficient response according to a predefined grid of specific solutions. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients were included. The median age was 57 years (18-97). Efficacy of the CPU was 76 %. This rate was lower in no-show patients or consulting for rare and complex motives (47 %, n=60). The no-show were not reachable on the first call in 51.6 % of cases, with a similar age and motives distribution to the others. Only 6,9 % (n=128) of all consultants (n=1863) had been referred to the CPU by emergency physicians. The decision was a second consultation in 70 % (48), a new exam in 10 % (7), deferred emergency surgery in 12 % (8) and finally 18 % (12) of no follow-up. CONCLUSION: CPU following early regulation by a urologist provides an effective response in 76 % of situations. Assessment of "no-shows" helped to identify groups at risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
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Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência , Tratamento de Emergência , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Procedimentos Clínicos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Encaminhamento e Consulta , Estudos Retrospectivos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Novel coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) has emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and became a pandemic in a few weeks. In this review, we aimed to summarize the current urologic practice trends worldwide to help urologist in decision making in disasters particularly in Covid-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We have performed a PubMed and Internet search by using the keywords: 'Covid', 'new coronavirus', 'coronavirus urology, 'covid urology' without a date restriction. Results: All elective surgeries for benign urological conditions such as urinary tract stone disease that not caused complicated obstruction, benign prostate enlargement, infertility, incontinence and genitourinary prolapse, erectile dysfunction undescendent testis, vesico-ureteral reflux should be postponed till the lasting of Covid-19 outbreak. In obstructing ureteral stone both nephrostomy tube and double-J stent insertion are valid management options. However, one must consider that these procedures must be performed under local anesthesia when possible to spare a ventilator. When deferring urooncological operations and treatments oncological outcomes must be considered. Aggressive cessation or reducing the dosage of immunosuppressant therapy might be an option in renal transplanted patients with severe pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Betacoronavirus , Infecções por Coronavirus/epidemiologia , Atenção à Saúde/métodos , Pandemias , Pneumonia Viral/epidemiologia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/métodos , COVID-19 , Comorbidade , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2 , Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologiaRESUMO
CONTEXT: Telemedicine provides remote clinical support using technological tools. It may facilitate health care delivery while reducing unnecessary visits to the clinic. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has caused an abrupt change in our daily urological practice, converting many of us to be reliant on telehealth. OBJECTIVE: To provide practical recommendations for effective use of technological tools in telemedicine. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A Medline-based and gray literature search was conducted through April 2020. We selected the most relevant articles related to "telemedicine" and "smart working" that could provide important information. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Telemedicine refers to the use of electronic information and telecommunications tools to provide remote clinical health care support. Smart working is a model of work that uses new or existing technologies to improve performance. Telemedicine is becoming a useful invaluable tool during and even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. It is time for us to formalize the place of telemedicine in routine urological practice, and it is our responsibility to adapt and learn about all the tools and possible strategies for their optimal implementation during the pandemic to ensure that the quality of care received by patients and the outcomes of patients and their families are of the highest standard. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine facilitates specialized urological clinical support at a distance, solves problems of limitations in mobility, reduces unnecessary visits to clinics, and is useful for reducing the risk of viral transmission in the current COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, both personal and societal considerations may favor continued use of telemedicine, even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. PATIENT SUMMARY: Telemedicine in urology offers specialized remote clinical support to patients, similar to face-to-face visits. It is very useful for reducing unnecessary visits to the clinic, as well as reducing the risk of contagion in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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COVID-19 , Telemedicina , Doenças Urológicas , Urologia/organização & administração , Agendamento de Consultas , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Registros Eletrônicos de Saúde , Humanos , Comunicação Interdisciplinar , Privacidade , SARS-CoV-2 , Telemedicina/economia , Telemedicina/métodos , Triagem , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/educação , Urologia/métodosRESUMO
PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a substantial burden on the Italian healthcare system, resulting in the restructuring of hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients. However, this has likely impacted access to care for patients experiencing other conditions. We aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on access to care for patients with urgent/emergent urological conditions throughout Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 33 urological units in the AGILE consortium, asking clinicians to report on the number of urgent/emergent urological patients seen and/or undergoing surgery over a 3-week period during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak and a reference week prior to the outbreak. ANOVA and linear regression models were used to quantify these changes. RESULTS: Data from 27 urological centres in Italy showed a decrease from 956 patients/week seen just prior to the outbreak to 291 patients/week seen by the end of the study period. There was a difference in the number of patients with urgent/emergent urological disease seen within/during the different weeks (all p values < 0.05). A significant decrease in the number of patients presenting with haematuria, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, scrotal pain, renal colic, or trauma and urgent/emergent cases that required surgery was reported (all p values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In Italy, during the COVID-19 outbreak there has been a decrease in patients seeking help for urgent/emergent urological conditions. Restructuring of hospitals and clinics is mandatory to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the healthcare system should continue to provide adequate levels of care also to patients with other conditions.
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Infecções por Coronavirus/epidemiologia , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/tendências , Pneumonia Viral/epidemiologia , Urologia/tendências , Assistência Ambulatorial , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Surtos de Doenças , Hospitais/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Pandemias , Análise de Regressão , SARS-CoV-2 , Inquéritos e Questionários , Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/métodosRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To describe patients presenting with urologic complications following pelvic radiation therapy and estimate the financial costs incurred in their treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the year ending June 2018, all urology admissions at Royal Newcastle Centre were reviewed for diagnostic codes pertaining to urethral or ureteric strictures, cystitis, and haematuria. Presentations were complications following radiotherapy if a diagnosis of radiation cystitis or stricture was recorded, and there was relevant prior radiotherapy. The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority's National Weighted Activity Unit (NWAU) 2018 calculators, admission data and the National Efficient Price were used to estimate costs of care. HNELHD HREC granted ethics approval (AU201808-10). RESULTS: Complications following radiotherapy accounted for 65 admissions in 53 discrete patients, accounting for 206 bed days and 3.7% of the 1748 total urology admissions in 1 year. The majority (86%) of admissions had at least 1 operation. Mean time since radiotherapy was 7 years (range 1-30). Mean number of operations related to complications following radiotherapy was 3 (range 0-11). Readmissions were more frequent (mean 1.9 admissions/year) than other urology inpatients (mean 1.3 admissions/year, P < .001). Mean NWAU18 value was 4.12 (range 2-8.3). Admission and procedure costs were AUD $1,346,700, secondary malignancies were $9,000 and emergency department costs were $45,864 for a combined total of $1,401,591. CONCLUSION: Patients requiring urological admission with complications following radiotherapy use more resources, stay for longer, have more operations and return more frequently than other urology patients. Conservative estimates of cost $25,900 per patient in the study year alone.
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Custos de Cuidados de Saúde , Pelve , Lesões por Radiação/economia , Lesões por Radiação/terapia , Radioterapia/efeitos adversos , Doenças Urológicas/economia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Lesões por Radiação/etiologia , Doenças Urológicas/etiologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To compare differences in the characteristics and outcomes of inpatient consults between academic and private practice urologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of urology consults at a large tertiary-care hospital from June 1st, 2017 to June 30th, 2018. Patient demographics, timing of consult, location of consult, reasons for consult, requesting physicians, and procedures performed were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: A total of 613 consults were identified. The most common consults were for a Foley catheter/suprapubic tube (16%), urinary retention (15%), kidney/bladder stones (11%), and hematuria (11%). Seventy-seven percent of the consults were seen in the day time and 79% were seen on the weekdays. One hundred and ten (18%) consults resulted in an operative intervention during the same admission. The others required a Foley catheter placement or suprapubic exchange (17%), bedside procedure (9%), or interventional radiology procedure (4%). The remaining 319 consults (52%) required no intervention and were considered potentially unnecessary. There were no differences in the timing of the consults and the need for intervention between academic and private practice urologists (Pâ¯=â¯.20). Only 37% of patients followed up as an outpatient. These potentially unnecessary consults resulted an annual loss of 265.8 hours for the urologists and $44,376.09 in excess health care costs. CONCLUSION: Over half of inpatient urologic consultations required no urologic intervention and therefore represented potential overuse of urgent inpatient specialty care. This may contribute towards the growing epidemic of burnout in urology. Further work needs to be done to educate other hospital services and nurses to minimize these unnecessary consults.
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Encaminhamento e Consulta , Doenças Urológicas , Urologia , Adulto , Idoso , Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Feminino , Custos de Cuidados de Saúde , Hospitalização , Humanos , Masculino , Uso Excessivo dos Serviços de Saúde/economia , Uso Excessivo dos Serviços de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prática Privada , Encaminhamento e Consulta/economia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Centros de Atenção Terciária , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Doenças Urológicas/economia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/economia , Fluxo de Trabalho , Carga de TrabalhoRESUMO
Aim COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented challenge to healthcare systems. We aimed to observe the impact on urological care delivery in an Irish university hospital. Methods Data on urological activity was prospectively collected for 3 months from March 2020. A retrospective review of the same period in 2019 was performed for control data. Results Over the 2020 study period, 356 urological admissions were recorded; a 23.1% decrease from the 2019 corresponding period(n=463). A 21.7% decrease in flexible cystoscopies was seen (162 versus 207). 125 theatre cases (36 off-site) were performed in the 2020 period, versus 151 in 2019. Emergency case load remained stable, with 69 cases in the 2020 period. The percentage of trainee-performed cases was preserved. COVID-era outpatient activity increased, to involve 559 clinic consultations compared to 439 the preceding year; a reflection of annual growth in service demand and facilitated by virtual clinic application (n=403). There were 490 instances of patients cancelling/failing to attend outpatient appointments, compared to 335 in 2019. Conclusion The Irish COVID-19 outbreak has created obstacles for urological care. Nonetheless, urgent/emergent urological cases persist. Our unit has managed this to-date with flexible adaptation of service delivery. The global challenge posed by COVID-19 will demand ongoing resourcefulness to minimise impact on patients with time-sensitive urological conditions.
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COVID-19/terapia , Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência/tendências , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/tendências , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/tendências , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Humanos , Irlanda , SARS-CoV-2 , Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologia , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Urológicos/tendênciasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Intermittent self-catheterization (ISC) is by far the most appealing therapy to achieve a complete bladder emptying in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Four questionnaires have been developed in French in order to assess patient's satisfaction, difficulties and acceptance of this technique. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and validate Dutch versions of the Intermittent Catheterization Satisfaction Questionnaire (InCaSaQ), the Intermittent Catheterization Acceptance Test (ICAT), the Intermittent Self Catheterization Questionnaire (ISCQ) and the Intermittent Catheterization Difficulty Questionnaire (ICDQ). METHODS: (1) Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaires were performed according to the standardized guidelines. (2) The test of the pre-final version was performed by a group of bilingual lay people by comparing the original version of the questionnaires and the back translated one, assessing the comparability of language and comparability of interpretation. (3) Problematic issues were reviewed for correction. (4) Reliability was examined by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) statistics and Cronbach alpha analysis. RESULTS: Pre-test by 45 raters who are fluent in the source language led to an adapted and improved version of the translated questionnaires. Fifty native Dutch-speaking patients performing ISC (>6 months) due to an NLUTD were prospectively included. InCaSaQ, ICAT, ISCQ and ICDQ showed good internal consistency (α respectively (test and re-test): 0.79-0.88, 0.88-0.92, 0.85-0.88, and 0.88-0.86) and reproducibility (ICC respectively 0.77, 0.84, 0.84, and 0.87). CONCLUSION: The translated versions of InCaSaQ, ICAT, ISCQ and ICDQ are reliable and valid, allowing self-reported assessment of satisfaction, acceptance, difficulties and quality of life related to ISC in Dutch-speaking patients with NLUTD.
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Cateterismo/métodos , Sintomas do Trato Urinário Inferior/terapia , Autocuidado/métodos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Bexiga Urinaria Neurogênica/terapia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Cateterismo/psicologia , Feminino , Humanos , Idioma , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Países Baixos , Satisfação do Paciente , Psicometria , Qualidade de Vida , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Estatística como Assunto , Adulto JovemRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: A virtual clinic is a form of telemedicine where contact between clinical teams and patients occur without face-to-face consultation. Our study aims to quantify the clinical, financial and environmental benefits of our virtual urology clinic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We collected data prospectively from our weekly follow-up virtual clinic over a continuous four-month period between July and September 2017. RESULTS: In total, we reviewed 409 patients. Following virtual clinic consultation, 68.5% of our patients were discharged from further follow-up. The majority of our patients (male 57.7%, female 55.5%) were of working age. The satisfaction scores were high, at 90.1%, and there were no reported adverse events as a result of using the virtual clinic. Our calculated cost savings were £18,744, with a predicted 12-month cost saving of £56,232. The creation of additional face-to-face clinic capacity has created an estimated 12-month increase in tariff generation for our unit of £72,072. In total, 4623 travel miles were avoided by patients using the virtual clinic, with an estimated avoided carbon footprint of 0.35-1.45 metric tonnes of CO2e, depending on mode of transport. Our predicted 12-month avoided carbon footprint is 1.04-4.04 metric tonnes of CO2e. CONCLUSIONS: Our virtual clinic model has demonstrated a trifecta of positive outcomes, namely, clinical, financial and environmental benefits. The environmental importance and benefits of a virtual clinic should be promoted as a social enterprise value when engaging stakeholders in setting up such a urological service. We propose the adoption of our virtual clinic model in those urological units considering this method of telemedicine.
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Custos de Cuidados de Saúde , Consulta Remota , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Redução de Custos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Satisfação do Paciente , Estudos Prospectivos , Consulta Remota/economia , Consulta Remota/métodos , Consulta Remota/organização & administração , Doenças Urológicas/terapiaRESUMO
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Telehealth, or the remote delivery of healthcare services using telecommunications technology, has the potential to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare and contribute to ongoing efforts to provide high-value care. RECENT FINDINGS: We discuss several categories of telehealth that have been applied to healthcare. Several of these approaches, in particular video visits and teleconsultations, have promising early data demonstrating the significant benefits of telehealth technology with respect to the quality of care, access, cost savings, and patient experience. Nonetheless, considerable knowledge gaps still exist regarding how and for which patients and diseases telehealth modalities should be applied. Finally, we discuss the barriers to widespread adoption at the institutional, state, and federal levels. SUMMARY: Maximizing the value of healthcare is an important goal for hospitals, physicians, and policymakers. Telehealth leverages advances in technology and the widespread availability of telecommunications devices to make healthcare communication more available, more convenient, and more efficient for patients and providers. With appropriate policies and incentives, telehealth initiatives can improve the value of urologic care and smooth the transition to a value-based healthcare system.
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Política de Saúde , Participação do Paciente , Telemedicina/organização & administração , Doenças Urológicas/diagnóstico , Urologia/organização & administração , Humanos , Encaminhamento e Consulta , Telemedicina/instrumentação , Telemedicina/legislação & jurisprudência , Telemedicina/métodos , Estados Unidos , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Urologia/instrumentação , Urologia/legislação & jurisprudência , Urologia/métodos , Dispositivos Eletrônicos VestíveisRESUMO
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and management status of urologic disease in geriatric hospitals in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted population-based analyzed using cohort established by the National Health Insurance Service of Korea, which contains the medical insurance data of 1 million people from 2002 to 2013. The prevalence, prescription rate, and complication incidence of urologic disease in geriatric hospitals were compared with similar-sized general hospitals. We analyzed the changes that followed the adoption of the fixed sum medical fee per day for geriatric hospitals, which began in January 2008. Subgroup analysis was conducted in an elderly group and a propensity score matching (PSM) group. RESULTS: During this time, the number of geriatric hospitals exponentially increased over general hospitals (675.5%/y vs. 30.9%/y). The prevalence, prescription rate, and complication incidence of urologic disease was higher in geriatric hospitals than in general hospitals (2.1, 1.8, and 1.4 times higher). In the elderly group, the prevalence of urologic disorders was higher in geriatric hospitals than in general hospitals, but the prescription rate was lower (26.5% vs. 19.9% and 6.8% vs. 10.0%). This tendency also founded in the PSM analysis. After the medical fee system changed, diagnosis and prescription rates decreased in geriatric hospitals but increased in general hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Urologic diseases are more prevalent yet management has some problem in geriatric hospitals. Lack of institutional urologists and changes in the medical payment system should be associated with this problem. Additional study and political support are needed to overcome this issue.
Assuntos
Doenças Urológicas/epidemiologia , Idoso , Ocupação de Leitos/estatística & dados numéricos , Prescrições de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Serviços de Saúde para Idosos/estatística & dados numéricos , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Hospitais Gerais/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Prevalência , República da Coreia/epidemiologia , Doenças Urológicas/terapia , Agentes Urológicos/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
To provide an adequate lifelong urological care in the complex period of adolescence, a transition consultation conducted by a paediatric surgeon and an urologist was developed in our institution. As a real rite of passage, it allows the follow-up and the adapted care of urological conditions, sometimes complex, and permits the transition between childhood and the world of grown-ups. We reported our experience at the Children Hospital of our institution (paediatric surgery and urology departments). During a 6 months period (January-July 2015), forty-five young adults with a mean age of 17.8±3.6 years were seen in transition consultation. Eight patients had neurogenic voiding disorders (4 spina bifida, 1 multiple sclerosis, 1 mitochondrial encephalopathy, 1 metachromic leucodystrophy, 1 paraplegia), 9 patients had idiopathic voiding disorders, 1 patient had a non obstructive malformative uropathy; and 30 patients had surgery during infancy and childhood: hypospadias in 17 young men and malformative uropathy in 13 patients. This consultation occurred within 4.6±4.5 years after the last consultation with paediatric surgeon. For 6 patients, the transition consultation was the first for the urological problem. After this consultation, 8 patients stayed in paediatric surgery and 37 patients were referred to adult urologist. Among those 8 patients: 2 patients had cognitive and psychiatric disorders; 4 patients refused to be transferred to adult unit; 2 patients wanted to come back at transition consultation. Among the 37 patients transferred in adult urological care: 6 patients had urological surgery, and one patient was referred to a sexology consultation. The remaining 30 patients have initiated long-term monitoring. All reconvened patients came back at the follow-up visit (at least 12 months follow-up). A 16-year-old patient (spina bifida with polymalformative syndrome) developed a depressive syndrome at the end of the consultation, in the motive of an awareness of the definitive nature of his handicap and the need of medical follow-up throughout his life. Transition consultation makes easier the passage from paediatric care to adult urological care. It allows a smooth change of interlocutors, facilitates subsequent care and improves compliance to medical follow-up. It requires a good collaboration between paediatric and adult care units. Transition responds to an increasing request of adolescents, families, and medical teams, since care rupture during adolescence can have functional and psychological consequences. LEVEL OF PROOF: 4.