One of the nice things about the medical field is that we never stop learning. Continuing education is something that every healthcare professional must commit to in order to stay current as healthcare delivery evolves and improves. Another nice thing is the openness that most healthcare professionals have when it comes to educating our peers. I regularly discuss new techniques and advances with fellow urologists, proctor them on minimally invasive procedures, such as HIFU and I actively participate in medical meetings to both impart information and learn from others. Unlike some professions, there should never be “trade secrets” between doctors.
This month I travelled to Arlington, Texas with Evans Tran, PCUMC’s excellent physician assistant. We spent a day with a fellow urologist and his physician assistant in their remarkable bladder control center that is renowned for its innovative, multi-faceted approach to this common problem. Their center treats both women and men, but female bladder control and incontinence makes up a majority of their practice.
The center is different from most others because it is largely directed by the urologist’s female physician assistant. They use a comprehensive team approach. The physician assistant spends a lot of time with every patient. She reviews all treatment plans with the urologist, following protocols and pathways they have established together. She performs most of the in-office work while he performs any operating room procedures when they are needed.
Their patients love the comprehensive care they get! Their practice model is now in use in several bladder control centers across the United States. We already have a similar approach at Pacific Coast Urology’s Bladder Control Center of Excellence. Evans, spends a lot of time with our patients learning about their bladder control problems and discusses various treatment options. She reviews every case with me and we then agree on a treatment plan. The result is that we spend much more time with our patients than most other practices and offer a wide range of minimally invasive treatment options. Evans is as committed to patient education as I am and spends the necessary time to inform and educate our patients. (View Evans’ bladder control educational videos)
We’re going to implement what we learned in the next few months to make PCUMC’s Bladder Control Center of Excellence better than ever! Learn how you can take control of your bladder issues. You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Pugach or Evans Tran, PA by calling us at 562-594-0860 or emailing us.
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