Confronting hidden COVID-19 burden: a telemedical solution for elective urological outpatient clinics

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Public Health
• Telemedicine

Background:

• The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses challenges to maintaining high-quality urological care.
• Postponed elective visits increase the risk of non-emergency urological condition deterioration.
• Uncertainty surrounding the pandemic's duration necessitates adaptive healthcare strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose telehealth as a solution for continuous urological patient monitoring during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To ensure urological care continuity while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
• To integrate telemedical assessments with outpatient capacity and local outbreak severity.

Main Methods:

• Implementing telehealth for regular symptom monitoring of urological patients.
• Utilizing telemedical assessments to prioritize high-risk patients.
• Aligning remote monitoring and in-person consults with healthcare system capacity and pandemic severity.

Main Results:

• Telehealth facilitates ongoing patient care and symptom tracking remotely.
• Prioritization of high-risk patients ensures timely intervention.
• The proposed system allows for flexible adaptation to pandemic conditions.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth is a viable strategy for maintaining urological care quality during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Integrating telehealth with traditional outpatient services can optimize patient management.
• This approach supports essential healthcare delivery while managing public health risks.