Practice Management

The most apparent risk factor is hours worked, as increased work hours directly correlate with heightened tiredness and stress.

One prominent theory suggests that younger generations of graduating urologists face increased financial pressures due to higher student loan debt.

"We have received numerous complaints about the PA and predetermination process. We all wish we could answer this differently and definitively," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

"Estimate how much you will need to spend each year during various stages of retirement," advises Ronald J. Paprocki, JD, CFP, CHBC.

"We believe the confusion comes from the typical lexicon surgeons use when performing surgeries, rather than the actual code descriptor and the procedure performed," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

"Osteopathic urologists were more likely to work in private practice (58.4% vs 49.8%; P = .038) and in rural/nonmetropolitan areas (16.2% vs 8.7%; P = .002)," write the authors.

"Time and again, we see physicians make avoidable mistakes that hinder or delay their ability to reach their financial goals," writes Jeff Witz, CFP.

Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter tackle a coding question for treating stones.

Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter answer a question regarding coding for use of the second-generation Calyxo CVAC system.

“When I talk to physicians outside of urology, as well as within urology, much of the hesitation with using Cost Plus Drugs is that it seems complicated to use, when in reality, the process is actually very simple," says Raymond Xu, MD.

"The Inflation Reduction Act was a major step in the right direction. The question now is going to be, are commercial insurers going to follow Medicare and enact the same cap that they have as well," says Benjamin Pockros, MD, MBA.

"We have communicated with Solventum, who makes this software, and they have made changes based on our feedback," says Timothy D. Lyon, MD.

"I think AI is going to have a significant role. We're just at the tip of the iceberg," says Jason M. Hafron, MD, CMO.

"The objective of this project [was] to clinically adjudicate the complications identified by that outpatient software," says Timothy D. Lyon, MD.

"If you determine you can invest in a volatile environment, the best approach is to do so over a period of time," writes Jeff Witz, CFP.

"For telephone-only (audio only) visits, Medicare has officially stated that such a visit would be considered the same as an in-person visit, with a few qualifications," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

"With the requirements for an E/M code as noted above, we agree with you that the supporting documentation, if appropriately documented, would support a level 3 outpatient visit for a visit regarding counseling for contraception or family planning," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

Arpeet Shah, MD, highlights the shift toward precision medicine, ongoing work force challenges, the integration of AI, and more.

Overall, 403 medical students and other applicants were matched across 148 urology residency programs nationwide.

"As we all know, Medicare rules do not always follow CPT directives. The same is true in this case," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

"It really remains to be seen whether we can expand this to care for other types of urological inpatients," says Timothy D. Lyon, MD.

"From a coding standpoint and from the work performed and valuation of the work and descriptors, it is appropriate to report the dilation (50436 without or 50437 with new access as appropriate) along with the nephrolithotomy codes (50080/50081) when both are performed at the same time by the same provider," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

"Please note that although this starts out as a balloon rather than just the injection of a biodegradable product, this device is actually fully biodegradable and is absorbed within 6 months of insertion," write Jonathan Rubenstein, MD, and Mark Painter.

“They come out of the fellowship competent and competitive in the field to any urology position that they're interested in,” says Tania Solomon, PA-C, MSc.

"There are far more people presenting to us for care than we have people able to provide it. The APPs are going to be a critical part of trying to solve that puzzle," says Mark T. Edney, MD.