In a study of practising urologists across the U.S, researchers from Mayo Clinic Arizona found that #burnout was associated with >51 hour work weeks, taking call and using multiple electronic medical records (EMRs). This can lead to medical errors, poorer quality of care and decreased patient satisfaction.

As resilience and a team player approach were identified as protective factors, healthcare institutions should enforce a positive work culture and enhance their mindfulness programs to better support their #urologists.

Read more here: Personality Traits and Burnout: A Survey of Practicing US Urologists

1 in 20 kidney stone patients develop sepsis after URS*.

The cost of ureteroscopy increases nearly fourfold when patients develop severe sepsis post-operation. How can urologists better mitigate the risk of post-operative sepsis?

Bhojani et al identified 6 predictors of urosepsis to help urologists identify high-risk patients. These include diabetes, ischemic heart disease, a positive urine culture and previous stent placements. Additionally, sepsis risk also increases linearly with patients’ age, the duration of surgery and the extent of comorbidity. To minimize the risk of urosepsis, urologists should personalize treatments according to patients’ risk profiles.

*Source:
Scientific Program of 38th World Congress Of Endourology Program Book

Unaware of the symptoms of kidney stone obstruction, some patients in our community have been dismissing their pain and delaying treatment, leading to infection and sepsis.

With 1 in 10 patients developing septic shock due to urinary infection complicated by anatomic urinary obstruction*, improving patient education is key. Help patients by informing them about the signs and risks of stone obstruction!

*Source:
Urinary obstruction is an important complicating factor in patients with septic shock due to urinary infection

According to a study published in the Journal of Urology, older patients are more prone to developing uric, brushite and atypical stones, and more likely to require surgery. Additionally, they tend to experience less or no pain during stone incidents, which may result in treatment delays.

When meeting patients above 60 years old, urologists should raise their index of suspicion for kidney stones, even they only present minor symptoms.

Source:
Effect of Age on the Clinical Presentation of Incident Symptomatic Urolithiasis in the General Population

Stent removals can be stressful for kidney stone patients – even more so when they don’t know what to expect.

With more than 1 in 2 patients experiencing moderate to severe pain during stent removal, the added distress can jeopardize treatment outcomes*.

Help your patients by telling them what to expect. It’ll put them at ease, for a smoother procedure!

*Source:
Patient Experiences and Preferences with Ureteral Stent Removal

Genetic influences play a major role in kidney stone formation, especially for recurrent stone formers. A recent study published in Nature Reviews Urology highlighted that 30% of chronic kidney stone patients develop stones as a result of their monogenetic disorders!

Currently, the genetic drivers of this disease remain unknown. However, with the rapid advancements in genomic studies, urologists can look forward to novel diagnoses and treatment measures for kidney stones in the near future.

Read more here: Genetics of kidney stone disease