BALTIMORE, May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in history, women urologists surpassed 10 percent of the urology workforce in 2020. The average annual growth rate from 2014 – 2020 was nearly nine percent per year for women compared to approximately two percent per year for men. This new data, as well as additional findings regarding workforce diversity and the growing number of urologists utilizing telemedicine to reach patients in remote or underserved areas of the country, are highlighted in the American Urological Association's (AUA) newly released 2020 Annual Census report, The State of the Urology Workforce and Practice in the United States.

In its seventh consecutive year of data collection, the AUA Annual Census presents a comprehensive portrayal of the urology workforce in the United States and remains a novel data source to explore the urologic profession and report both cross-sectional variations and trends. Results provide an array of information aimed at bridging knowledge gaps, meeting increased research needs and ultimately, improving patient care.

Key Highlights

• The 2020 U.S. urologist population consists of a total of 13,352 practicing urologists, an increase of 2.4 percent from 13,044 practicing urologists in 2019.
• U.S. urologists handled approximately 42 million patient encounters in 2020, down from an estimated 47 million in 2019, presumably due to COVID-19.
• The number of urologists self-identifying as African American / Black increased by nearly nine percent compared to a year ago, however, the number of urologists self-identifying as Hispanic ethnicity remains unchanged.
• Female urologists spend more time with patients in a typical office visit (19.2 minutes) than their male counterparts (16.5 minutes), resulting in approximately 156 more hours spent with patients per year during office visits.
• Approximately 51 percent of practicing urologists in the United States work in private practice (down from 53 percent in 2019), while 47 percent practice in institutional settings such as hospitals or academic medical centers (up from 46 percent in 2019).
• Nearly 42 percent of practicing urologists have a primary subspecialty, up from 40 percent in 2019. Oncology remains the most common subspecialty area.
• Telemedicine programs are utilized by nearly 72 percent of urologists, a significant increase from 12 percent a year ago.
• The top two compensated telemedicine services are video visits or conferencing with patients (93.9 percent) and telephone calls with patients (77.3 percent).
• The top three consultation topics for which urologists utilize telemedicine are Voiding Dysfunction, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections.
• On average, urologists' ratios to Advanced Practice Providers (APP) are 3.5 urologists to 1 Physician Assistant, 4 urologists to 1 Nurse Practitioner, 4.5 urologists to 1 Advanced Practice Nurse and overall, 2 urologists to 1 APP within the practice or medical team.

&quot,The AUA Annual Census continues to transform urologic care through the meaningful collection, integration and utilization of data aimed at informing urology practices, the nation's health care system and public policy,&quot, said Danil Makarov, MD, chair of AUA Data Committee. &quot,While many practicing urologists were directly impacted this year by the COVID-19 pandemic, these data demonstrate today's urologist is more nimble and prepared to work harder to care for their patients.&quot,

Further data trends regarding work/life balance, patient visits, compensation, retirement details, as well as other practice characteristics can be found in the 2020 report. Copies of the full report can be found on the AUA Web site at www.AUAnet.org/CensusReport

Urology care providers, researchers and all who are interested in exploring the urologic workforce and practice patterns are encouraged to use the information in this report, and previous years' publications. Interested parties are also urged to utilize AUA's public-use Census data to conduct studies directly. The AUA Annual Census provides irrefutable information to fill the knowledge gaps surrounding the urologic profession. Its findings serve as a valuable source to inform clinical practice, public policy and fuel scientific research.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 23,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

SOURCE American Urological Association