To develop a comprehensive scale that quantifies treatment burden by combining expected burdens, unexpected downsides, and the need for ancillary procedures in urologic treatments, specifically addressing patient concerns.
Key Findings:
Patients are concerned with expected burdens, unexpected complications, and the need for ancillary procedures, which are not adequately captured by existing scales, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive assessment.
The burden score (BS) provides a quantifiable measure of treatment burden that can aid in treatment decision-making by allowing comparisons between different treatment options.
The study included diverse urologic scenarios, enhancing the applicability of the burden score across different conditions and patient populations.
Interpretation:
The newly developed burden score offers a more holistic view of treatment impacts, enabling better-informed decisions for patients and clinicians, ultimately improving patient-centered care.
Limitations:
The study was conducted in a single tertiary center, which may limit generalizability and introduce potential biases.
The burden score does not account for disease recurrence, which is evaluated separately, potentially underestimating the long-term treatment burden.
Conclusion:
The patient burden score is a valuable tool for assessing treatment options in urology, addressing gaps in current measurement scales and enhancing patient-centered care.
