The Impact of a Digital Health Pathway on Complications Following HIFU Treatment in Prostate Cancer Patients-A Pre-...

Background/Objectives: Digital health pathways, including prehabilitation programs, may help reduce complications after urologic procedures. This study assesses the impact of a digital health intervention on infectious complications, urinary retention, and unplanned patient contacts after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for prostate cancer. Methods: A pre-/post-intervention study design was applied. The intervention consisted of implementing a mobile health pathway via a mobile application integrated into the perioperative management of patients undergoing HIFU treatment for prostate cancer. Urinary complication rates and unplanned patient contacts with the surgical team before and after implementation were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: 58 patients were included in the analysis. Demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics were comparable between both groups. The post-intervention group showed a lower incidence of symptomatic urinary infections (3 vs. 10; p = 0.019) and fewer unplanned visits (4 vs. 10; p = 0.047) after the implementation of the mobile application. No significant differences in rates of acute urinary retention and unplanned communication with the surgical team were observed. Conclusions: Integration of a digital health pathway was associated with reduced infectious complications and fewer unplanned visits after HIFU treatment. Incorporating such tools into perioperative management may improve patient outcomes.