Presented by: Ala'a Farkouh MD
Loma Linda University Health

Introduction

As part of the Endourological Society’s initiative to continuously enhance the field of endourology, the second annual census was circulated after the World Congress of Endourology and Technology (WCET) 2022. This report presents the results of this census. 

Materials

An anonymous survey was created using Qualtrics XM and was disseminated via email to all Endourological Society (ES) members (n=1502) between Oct 4th, 2022 and Jan 26th, 2023. A total of 46 questions were included in the survey and covered different aspects including demographics, practice patterns, satisfaction, impact of COVID, WCET 2022 attendance, and future opportunities.  

Results

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A total of 404 (27%) ES members, representing 63 different countries participated in the survey. The demographics of this survey echoed those of the inaugural census, with women constituting an integral part of the society (8.2% of responses) and the mean participant age was 48.9 years. Fellowship-trained endourologists constituted 58.9% of respondents. The most common practice setting was academic (55.2%), while 30.9% were in some form of private practice and 7.7% were government employed, with 28.5% considering a change in practice setting. The most common practice scope was surgical and medical management of urolithiasis (>70%). Laparoscopy and robotic surgery were performed by 57.4% and 43.8% respectively. Work schedules were variable with 51.1% working 40-60 hours/week and 35.3% working more. No call is taken by 14.7%, while 28.4% take 4-6 calls, and 24.5% take ≥7 calls per month. More than 80% were satisfied with their practice, however 42.4% indicated that COVID made satisfaction worse. This was mainly attributed to staff shortages and decreased efficiency, as 60.4% found it more challenging to manage patients after COVID, with 41.9% reporting an increase in case volume. Of participants, 49.5% were satisfied with their compensation and 7.3% plan to retire within the next 5 years. When asked about the future of endourology, 92.9% had a positive outlook. 

Conclusion

These survey results report important trends within the field of endourology and demonstrate the robust outlook of the society members for the future. By demonstrating important practice patterns and member needs, this information can be used to improve the responsiveness of the society to its members and to continually strengthen the Endourological Society. 

Funding

None

Lead Authors

Ala'a Farkouh, MD
Loma Linda University Health

D. Duane Baldwin, MD
Loma Linda University Health

Co-Authors

Mordechai Duvdevani,
Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital

Necole Streeper,
Penn State Hershey Medical Center

Sentil Nathan,
University College London Hospital

Chuck Scales,
Duke University

Timothy Averch,
Palmetto Health, USC