Statement of Need

Urology experts generally agree that the urological patient will benefit greatly if the treatment provided is the result of a combined effort among the specialists involved in patient care. The collaboration of experts from various fields is thus necessary to improve urological research and enhance medical practice worldwide and to close the practice gap found among current treatment protocols. The 2009 Future Directions in Urology Symposium (FDUS) brought together leading urologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists to provide a forum for sharing knowledge and experience with the objective of facilitating multidisciplinary approaches that aim to optimize disease prevention and diagnostic therapeutic interventions. A four-day symposium was held, featuring state-ofthe- art lectures, case reports, a review of clinical trials, and treatment guideline analysis. Group discussion assisted in improving competence and knowledge and addressed four Institute of Medicine (IOM) Universal Physician competencies: to provide patient-centered care, to work in interdisciplinary teams, to employ evidence-based practice, and to apply quality improvement.

Meetings such as FDUS are of great value in promoting further scientific collaboration between the various experts working in the challenging and rapidly evolving fields of prostate, bladder, and renal cell cancer. The FDUS format enabled experts to present and discuss the most recent advances in prostate, bladder, and renal cell cancer. Topics covered included both bench research and clinical applications that will be of interest to both clinicians and basic scientists and that provide a roadmap to future practice guidelines and updates on ongoing clinical trial research. A multidisciplinary approach to patient care is an essential part of routine urological care. For that reason, collaboration between urologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists will be important for the future of the practice of urology. This activity provides a review and analysis of the presentations and discussions of the 2009 Future Directions in Urology Symposium in a self-learning format designed to present the most important points of debate and discussion in prevention, screening, treatment, and overall patient care.

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