Do We Need Referral Centers for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia that Offer More Options with Expertise? Con

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is highly prevalent.
• Centralized care models risk significant waiting lists and healthcare access disparities.
• Current BPH diagnosis and monitoring involve simple examinations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of decentralizing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) care.
• To propose an alternative strategy to centralized BPH treatment models.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of BPH care pathways.
• Assessment of diagnostic and monitoring procedures for BPH.
• Evaluation of the learning curve for new surgical techniques in BPH management.

Main Results:

• Centralization of BPH care would likely create substantial waiting lists.
• Newer BPH surgical procedures have a short learning curve.
• Decentralized care models can be implemented effectively.

Conclusions:

• Developing referral urologists within existing health centers is a more effective strategy than centralization for BPH.
• Decentralization can improve access to timely BPH treatment.
• This approach mitigates risks of delayed care and healthcare disparities.