Mapping Telemedicine in German Private Practice Urological Care: Implications for Transitioning beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> There are limited data on the use and concern of telemedicine among German urologists, and thus, there are no established guidelines for telemedical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urological indications. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An anonymized survey was conducted among German private practice urologists during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The χ<sup>2</sup> test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 257 urologists were included in the final analysis. Thirty-five (14.0%) of urologists had used telemedicine as part of their consultation, and 221 (86.0%) had not used telemedicine. There was no difference between telemedicine adoption rates between rural and urban settings. Telemedicine users were significantly more satisfied with the information they had received regarding telemedicine issues. Users saw the greatest barrier to telemedicine that patients do not take up the offer of telemedicine. Nonusers were most concerned with unclear indications for telemedicine followed by lesser reimbursements during telemedicine than in-person visitations. Users were significantly more likely to use telemedicine beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Urologists, who wanted to use the service in the future, wanted an active support by the German society of urology and guidelines for telemedicine. Last, users and nonusers preferred telemedicine for non-acute chronic diseases and follow-up visitations. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine remains a rarely used service among German private practice urologists. Ultimately, to overcome the current challenges, urologists require an active support for the service through the German Society of Urology and telemedical guidelines.

The Metaverse for Healthcare: Trends, Applications, and Future Directions of Digital Therapeutics for Urology

“…Telemedicine has emerged as a promising approach for transforming the delivery of urological consultations. It has been observed to significantly reduce both time and costs while yielding satisfactory outcomes for patients and clinicians alike; for instance, Margolin et al found telemedicine to be as effective as in-person visits for urological cancer care and counseling [ 47 , 48 ]. In particular, telemedicine has presented an opportunity to address sexual health-related urological concerns in a patient-centered and comfortable manner [ 49 ].…”

Telemedicine and Telehealth in Urology: Uptake, Impact and Barriers to Clinical Adoption

“…Variables were rated using a 5-point Likert Scale. Providers were more concerned about lack of adequate training in billing, rather than deficits in communication and equipment use ( 7 ). 87% of providers felt at ease while discussing sensitive topics using telehealth, while only 55% felt comfortable using telehealth ( p < 0.001).…”

“…Physicians are keen to incorporate telemedicine into routine urology practise, but there is still a need for more active support and active guidelines with formal training ( 7 , 8 ). Barriers to accessing appropriate and adequate technology remain an important concern that needs to be addressed ( 9 ).…”

“…Patients who were not English proficient and those that came from areas with an unstable Internet connection, were less likely to use telemedicine urology consults ( 3 ). Similarly, patients were keen at the outset to take up telemedicine due to an unclear understanding of indications and concerns related to reimbursement ( 7 , 9 ). Among the users that adopted telemedicine, however, there was a significant degree of satisfaction with health information received via this medium.…”

The Recent Advances of Mobile Healthcare in Cardiology Practice

“…The recent rapid spread of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) sparked the interest in the use of m-Health platforms in healthcare ( 3 - 5 ). In fact, telemedicine has been proven as an optimal way to provide medical services due to the possibility to avoid a close contact with infected patients and reduce overall mortality ( 6 - 11 ). In addition, mobile health has been shown to lower the cost of health care and improve an access to healthcare in undeveloped nations ( 12 , 13 ).…”