Antiandrogen shows durable antitumor activity in prostate cancer
October 1st 2011Accumulating data from patients with progressive, castration-resistant prostate cancer enrolled in a phase I-II study of MDV3100 show this novel antiandrogen has durable antitumor activity in both pre- and post-chemotherapy populations.
Analysis puts lower relative value units per current procedural terminology into perspective
October 1st 2011By analyzing work relative value units (RVUs) in a number of urology groups, we have verified that they have had an approximate 10% decrease in income while generating the same number of work RVUs.
Prototype ultrasound device images, moves kidney stones
October 1st 2011A team at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Applied Physics Lab, Seattle, is refining prototype technology that should allow extracorporeal ultrasound to image and, more importantly, move stones in a kidney as if they were being nudged gently by a pool cue.
The urology practice revenue cycle: How to track and manage it
October 1st 2011Those of us who are not employed by a hospital or other entity remain small business men/women, and therefore need to be as attentive to the business aspect of our practices as we are to the clinical care we offer our patients.
Do changing urology practice models mean changing politics?
October 1st 2011After seeing physicians in Maine ask legislators to delay a bill limiting medical liability, speculation is that because doctors who have joined large groups or hospital practices have fewer concerns related to running a business-eg, meeting payroll, hiring staff, malpractice premiums, and meeting overhead-their priorities might be shifting.
Electronic medical record modification allows for automated data retrieval
October 1st 2011Urologists at Cleveland Clinic have undertaken a pilot program involving modification of a commercial electronic medical record (EMR) system to facilitate clinical research and clinical practice outcomes analysis in a way that overcomes the obstacles presented by the record-keeping technology.
Tissue digestion in lab finds sperm post-microdissection testicular sperm extraction
October 1st 2011Analyses of data from a large series of men undergoing microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) showed that among patients who had no sperm found in the OR, 7% had sperm identified following tissue digestion and extensive searching in the laboratory.
Advanced prostate Ca treatment shows long-term efficacy
September 15th 2011Long-term use of degarelix (Firmagon), a gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy approved for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer in both Europe and the United States, continues to be effective and well tolerated beyond 3 years, according a recent study.
Half of office-based physicians use non-physician providers
September 8th 2011About half of all office-based U.S. physicians-including urologists-belong to practices that employ non-physician providers, according to a government report. Primary care physicians are more likely to work with them than medical and surgical specialists.
FDA approves onabotulinumtoxinA for certain types of incontinence
September 8th 2011The FDA recently approved onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injection for the treatment of urinary incontinence due to detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition (eg, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis) in adults who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of an anticholinergic medication.
Managing your mutual funds: Active vs. passive
September 1st 2011Passive management is an investment strategy that attempts to replicate the returns of an index or benchmark by owning the same assets, in the same proportions, as the underlying index. Active managers attempt to outperform the market through the art of stock picking and market timing.
Self-treatment wand found beneficial in chronic prostatitis /chronic pelvic pain syndrome patients
September 1st 2011Physical therapists have responded to the high costs of physical therapy for CP/CPPS (often not covered by insurance) by helping patients learn to massage their own pelvic floor muscle trigger points with internal massage tools. Now, there's evidence that this at-home, self-treatment approach works.