[Palliative care in an outpatient urological setting]

In their daily routine, urologists in general and uro-oncologists in particular are often confronted with non-urologic complications. To meet the need for measures of symptom control at the interface between genuine urologic and general palliative care, it is necessary for the partners from special outpatient palliative care (SAPV), general outpatient palliative care (AAPV), medical centres and other service units to cooperate. There are a significant number of urological practitioners who have completed trainings in palliative care or passed an exam as 'qualified palliative physician (QPA)'. Depending on the federal state, the local provision of health infrastructure varies greatly. The case study presented here is looking at the city of Wuppertal as an example of a medium-sized coverage area in a densely populated urban area in the western part of Germany. A viable cooperation requires timely, standardised documentation in an internet-based system as well as defined strategies for the provision of care.