The year 2020 changed life for everyone, as the world faced one of its greatest challenges. One lasting result of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the rise of video calls on platforms such as Zoom and Teams. They have transformed the way patients and doctors interact. In this reflection, Professor Prokar Dasgupta looks at the rise of video and telephone consultations, and at the phrase that defined the year.
An idea that arrived early
Nearly a decade before the pandemic, as the tenth Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Urology International, Professor Dasgupta suggested to his editorial team that they develop an online meeting platform. Over a couple of days, it would bring together knowledge and academic discussion across time zones.
The advantages seemed clear. It would save travel, time and expense. Participants could earn continuing education points from their sofas or offices. Doctors from low and middle-income countries, who often cannot travel overseas, would benefit most. And it would reduce the carbon footprint of medical meetings.
Everyone laughed.
What online meetings cannot replace
In fairness, people attend meetings not only to learn but also to meet friends, share conversations and shake hands. That social side is hard to reproduce online. Seeing a new host city in person is also something no photograph or webcam can replace. Even so, the pandemic showed how much can be achieved remotely.
Remote consultations for patients
For patients, the shift to remote care has been significant. Consultations can now take place on a video platform you are already familiar with. For those who prefer not to use video, a telephone call works just as well.
Professor Dasgupta has had to learn what he calls "tele-charisma", a new term in his vocabulary: the skill of putting patients at ease and building trust through a screen. Surveys show that patient satisfaction with remote consultations is close to 90%. The NHS explains how video consultations work and how to prepare for one.
What a remote consultation can and cannot do
A remote appointment cannot include a physical examination. However, a careful history and tests such as blood tests and imaging are often effective alternatives. Remote consultations work well for:
- discussing symptoms and deciding which tests are needed
- reviewing PSA, scan and biopsy results
- talking through treatment options, such as those on our prostate cancer page
- follow-up after treatment, including recovery of continence and erections
An essential operation, of course, still requires a hospital visit, carried out with appropriate infection precautions. Our robotic prostatectomy page explains what surgery involves, and our checklist for preparing for surgery covers the weeks beforehand.
The phrase of the year
There is a funny side to all of this. Thanks to Zoom and Teams, the three most common words of the year became "you are muted". A speaker forgets to unmute and talks without being heard, until someone points it out, usually to much amusement, and the conversation can flow again. Professor Dasgupta brought a similar lightness to his appearance on Cunk on Life.
Care continues
Ill health does not wait for any virus, and urological problems that need attention continue to arise. Remote appointments mean that patients can be seen promptly, without unnecessary travel, while hospital visits are kept for the times they are needed. Many patients now choose a mix of the two, with remote follow-up after an initial face-to-face assessment. For men travelling from outside London, this can save a great deal of time. Prostate Cancer UK also offers telephone support from specialist nurses.
To arrange a video or telephone consultation with Professor Dasgupta, please contact the clinic.