Equipping urologists to address a changing field

The incidence of common urological conditions in the U.S. has been rising in recent years. As the number of people living with conditions like prostate cancer or kidney stones increases, there is also a serious shortage of urologists to meet these growing patient needs. Boston Scientific’s senior vice president and president of Urology Meghan Scanlon discusses the importance of supporting the next generation of urologists to meet the evolving demands of this field.

Tell us about the issues urologists face and the impact on patients.

Meghan Scanlon: One major issue is the decreasing number of urologists to treat patients. Nearly one-third of practicing urologists are over 65, so it’s fair to expect many will soon retire.ⁱ The problem is that there aren’t enough new urologists joining the field to pick up the care load. For every 10 urologists who are retiring, only one new urologist is joining the field.^ii,iii This gap in care capacity could have a tremendous impact on those in practice and the patients they serve. Additionally, about 37% of urologists say they experience burnout^iv and that it’s largely the result of increasing administrative burdens, insurance requirements and simply too many hours on the clock.ⁱⁱⁱ These added pressures on urologists have real implications: they may increase the likelihood of medical errors or decisions to leave the profession.^v

Medical device companies play an important role to help address these challenges by supporting the entry of new urologists into the field and developing new and efficient technologies. For example, innovative technologies may help ease staff time and mental load for physicians, like our sterile as packaged single-use ureteroscope, which does not require reprocessing and includes a built-in sensor to monitor pressure in the kidneys.

What factors are important to keep in mind to support the next generation of urologists entering the field?

MS: Urology is an exciting therapeutic area because there is so much opportunity to improve patient outcomes and the physician experience. Those goals rely on cultivating a community of urologists that truly reflects their patients. Patients want doctors who are not only knowledgeable about their condition, but also understand their culture and community.^vi That depth of awareness builds trust. In turn, patients are more comfortable sharing their health concerns—which are often highly personal and intimate— and less likely to avoid medical treatment for fear of judgement.

In urology, as in many areas of healthcare, there aren’t enough providers that represent the demographics of the patients they serve. The needs for urological care come from every walk of life and represent a broad cross section of genders, races, ethnicities, ages and sexual orientations.

The good news is we’ve started to see the urology field diversify in the last few years, with increasing representation of female and Hispanic urologists. Representation of Black urologists has seen minimal growth. That tells us we need to double down on what we are doing to support more Black urologists joining the field.ⁱⁱⁱ

I’d say the other bright spot is the momentum that’s building across the healthcare ecosystem to advance representation. We’re all rowing in the same direction, with the recognition of how important diversity and representation are for patient outcomes and the physician experience.

What are some ways Boston Scientific is closing these gaps?

MS: There are several ways we’re working to pave a path for the next wave of urologists. We regularly collaborate with the American Urological Association to support their programs, including working with them to establish the Boston Scientific Medical Student Innovation Fellowship. This fellowship provides aspiring medical students from underrepresented populations with mentorship by experienced urologists at the top of their field.

We’re also collaborating with the R. Frank Jones Urological Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Black urologists entering the field and improving clinical care for Black patients.

Through our EDUCARE program, we provide in-person and online education and training courses covering a range of urology topics.

While progress has been made, there is more to be done to shape the future of patient care. At Boston Scientific, we’re committed to continuing this progress and always seeking additional ways to support urologists from all backgrounds.

To learn more about the EDUCARE program, visit: https://educare.bostonscientific.com/s/urology