Jennifer Miles-Thomas, MD, on surgeon–APP collaboration in urology

In the following video, Jennifer U. Miles-Thomas, MD, highlights a recent panel discussion from the SUFU 2026 Winter Meeting on leveraging surgeon–advanced practice provider (APP) collaboration in urology. She specifically reflects on discussions surrounding expanding APP roles, leadership opportunities, and optimal team-based care structures.

Miles-Thomas is an assistant professor of urology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.

According to Miles-Thomas, a key theme from the SUFU panel was the increasing leadership role of APPs in urologic care delivery. Miles-Thomas noted that APPs are no longer functioning solely in supportive roles but are increasingly helping to lead programs, train future clinicians, and shape institutional workflows. She described this shift as an encouraging development that reflects broader changes in workforce dynamics and care delivery. At the same time, she acknowledged that discussions around scope of practice, privileging, and role delineation remain complex and sometimes controversial, largely because practice models vary significantly across institutions. Given ongoing workforce shortages and differing organizational policies, she emphasized that no single approach will fit all settings, but the growing willingness to engage in these conversations signals meaningful progress in the field.

When considering where APPs may have the greatest impact, Miles-Thomas pointed to access as the most significant area of opportunity. She explained that urologists often divide time between clinic and the operating room, limiting availability for new patient evaluations, triage, and counseling. APPs, by contrast, can maintain continuity in the clinic and manage larger portions of initial evaluation and follow-up care, improving access and efficiency. She also highlighted the value of APPs in helping patients navigate complex or sometimes misleading health information, including content derived from guidelines, algorithms, or artificial intelligence tools, which may not always be appropriately interpreted by patients.

Finally, Miles-Thomas emphasized the importance of APP involvement in patient education and shared decision-making, particularly as urologic care becomes increasingly preference-sensitive. She noted that meaningful counseling often requires more time than is typically available in brief surgical consultations, and APPs can help fill that gap by providing in-depth explanations, clarifying treatment options, and supporting informed decision-making. Overall, she framed surgeon–APP collaboration as a forward-looking model that enhances access, improves patient understanding, and better aligns care delivery with the needs of modern urologic practice.