Health literacy: How do your patients rate?
August 1st 2011Health literacy is the ability of a patient to read, understand, and use health care information to make decisions and follow instructions for treatment. Many physicians overestimate these abilities in their patients, which can lead to poor communication, poor outcomes, and even allegations of malpractice.
Post-prostate biopsy infections bring concern, calls for standardization
August 1st 2011Most of the urologists interviewed for this article say post-biopsy infection is something they are watching and that they are considering changes to their regimens to counter the problems that have been reported.
More private payers to cover tibial nerve stimulation
July 28th 2011Uroplasty, Inc. (Minneapolis) has announced that two additional private insurance payers will cover posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) using its Urgent PC Neuromodulation System for the treatment of overactive bladder and associated symptoms.
Radiation therapy with ADT increases survival in early-stage PCa
July 28th 2011Short-term androgen deprivation therapy given in combination with radiation therapy to men with early-stage prostate cancer increased their chances of living longer compared with treatment with radiation therapy alone, according to a recent multicenter study.
Study: Physician work force shortage expected to reach 20% by 2025
July 21st 2011The U.S. will face serious shortages in the combined work force of physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants over the next 2 decades, say researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. By 2025, the physician shortage alone could reach 20%.
High-grade bladder cancer patients not getting recommended care
July 21st 2011Nearly all patients with high-grade, noninvasive bladder cancer are not receiving the guideline-recommended care that would best protect them from recurrence?a finding characterized as alarming by researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Practice managers: Operating costs, EHRs bring daily challenges
July 14th 2011Rising operating costs and selecting and implementing a new electronic health records (EHR) system are among medical practice professionals? greatest challenges to running a group practice, recent questionnaire results indicate.
Pediatric kidney surgery technique eliminates visible scarring
July 14th 2011A new minimally invasive surgical technique known as hidden incision endoscopic surgery (HIdES) makes scarring after pediatric kidney surgery virtually invisible, yet it is as effective as more common surgical methods, according to the urologist who developed it.
Survey: Incontinence has greater impact on QoL than diabetes, arthritis
July 7th 2011Americans 65 years of age and older say that urinary incontinence affects their quality of life physically, mentally, and socially to a greater degree than diabetes, arthritis, and many other chronic conditions, according to a recent study.
Post-prostate biopsy infection: Incidence and preventive steps
July 1st 2011This article discusses the rising incidence of both fluoroquinolone resistance and serious post-biopsy infectious complications, and offers recommended preventive measures, including a new algorithm incorporating targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis based on rectal swab cultures.