"Ramping up telemedicine in pediatric urology- Tips for using a new modality"

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Urology
• Telehealth Services
• Healthcare Informatics

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adoption of telehealth.
• Telemedicine allows pediatric urologists to consult on genitourinary conditions remotely.
• This ensures patient safety and adherence to social distancing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of telemedicine in pediatric urology during the pandemic.
• To emphasize the need for maintaining high-quality and secure virtual care standards.
• To underscore the significance of data collection for future policy changes.

Main Methods:

• Review of current telehealth practices in pediatric urology.
• Discussion of challenges and best practices for virtual consultations ('webside' manner).
• Emphasis on the role of data in advocating for telehealth reform.

Main Results:

• Telemedicine has become a vital tool for pediatric urologic care delivery.
• Effective virtual communication ('webside' manner) is crucial for quality care.
• Data collection on telemedicine is critical for securing payer and legislative support.

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine offers a safe and effective way to manage pediatric genitourinary conditions.
• Standardized, high-quality virtual care is essential.
• Evidence generation is key to enabling broader telehealth adoption post-pandemic.