The use of mobile applications in urology. A systematic review

Abstract

Can the use of mobile applications (apps) improve quality of life and disease management in adult patients with urologic disease? Technology has created new opportunities to promote behavioural change in the daily lives of patients. One third of adults in the United States who own smartphones or tablets use health apps to improve their health. The aim of this review was to analyse whether use of mobile apps improves the quality of life and symptom management of urological patients. Databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus. Search terms (free terms, MeSH): mobile apps, urologic diseases.Papers searched included all randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, analytical cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies. Nine articles were analysed. The review showed that mobile apps purpose-built for urological patients can improve quality of life, signs and symptoms. It is necessary that nurses and physicians be familiar with these apps in order to identify and benefit those patients who deal with disabling diseases that prevent them performing their daily activities to the desired degree. Mhealth makes inroads into the medical profession, both doctors and nurses should maintain awareness not only of drug and other therapies but also of the efficacy of the mobile health apps available. Digital health treatment has arrived and can no longer be considered merely peripheral. K E Y W O R D S mHealth, nurses, quality of life, urological disease WHAT IS KNOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC • Many studies have shown that the use of smartphone applications is able to produce positive results • Smartphone applications have been used to improve the health of people with urological problems • The literature is still very fragmented about the usefulness of mobile applications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS• The results suggest that data recorded remotely, in a comfortable location, in real time, appear to be more accurate • With the spread of electronic medical records, these data could be included as part of each patient's medical record

Phytotherapy in urological benign disease: A systematic review

“…Scientifically correct and personalized information enables patients to understand, evaluate and choose from a variety of safe and effective treatments in a conscious and truly autonomous manner. 52,55 This approach would also lay the necessary foundations for avoiding self-medication and autonomous therapeutic interruptions. 56 Physicians and nurses should, therefore, improve their knowledge of the field of phytotherapy, particularly because 90% of urological patients have reported currently taking or having previously taken some form of phytotherapeutic treatment.…”

“…Although every patient has the right to therapeutic freedom, his or her healthcare must be centred on the use of safe and effective treatments. Scientifically correct and personalized information enables patients to understand, evaluate and choose from a variety of safe and effective treatments in a conscious and truly autonomous manner 52,55 . This approach would also lay the necessary foundations for avoiding self‐medication and autonomous therapeutic interruptions 56 .…”

Mitigating urinary incontinence condition using machine learning

“…The Sit or Squat application was developed to help users find the nearest public restroom anywhere in the United States [14,15]. BladderPal and UroBladderDiary mobile applications help track urination and consumption [14][15][16]. Kegel Trainer PFM and Tät help to encourage and instruct users to conduct PFMT [9,10,17], and Tät provides additional resources aside from PFMT instructions, such as remedies to help address UI symptoms [18].…”

The impact of COVID-19 on urology office visits and adoption of telemedicine services

“…Lobo et al showed that trained advanced practice providers with real-time urologist feedback for procedures such as cystoscopy has allowed for improved access to care without compromising on quality and further highlighting the untapped utility of telemedicine [26]. The development of mobile apps (mHealth), home-based diagnostics such as at-home semen analyses, wearable at home sensors with real time transmission of data to physicians has ramped up and will likely continue to be important noninvasive means of supplementing the core telehealth services we are now already familiar with [27–29]. Data from McKinsey et al has shown that investment in virtual care and digital health is nearly three times the level of venture capital digital health investment in 2017 promising a strong push to revolutionize this realm of healthcare [30].…”