Like all good things, there is often paperwork. This often includes patient questionnaires to review your medical history and surgical history, assess how severe symptoms are, and guide the urology team’s investigations. Brining a list of your medications, including over the counter medications, vitamins and supplements. This helps significantly, especially if medications have to be prescribed, to make sure the possibility of adverse reactions is limited. Alternatively, patients can bring their medications with them and we can review them directly at the office. We do ask for accurate and up to date contact information, to make sure we can contact you quickly…

Despite the multitude of fancy imaging tests available, examining patients is still a very important part of figuring out what the urologic issues are. This tends to focus on the abdomen and pelvis, along with the urinary and genital organs. The physical examination can, and often does, include a digital rectal examination for men and a limited pelvic examination for women. We understand that this can be a very challenging thing for some patients to get through, and we endeavour to ensure that your concerns are addressed and respected. To help with this we often will get other members of the…

Unlike on television, medical diagnoses can sometimes be challenging to make after the initial visit. Medical professionals tend to have a “differential diagnosis”, that is, a list of the top two or three most common diagnoses likely to be responsible for the issue at hand. In order to prove which diagnosis is correct, the urology team will usually order some form of additional testing. Bloodwork and urine tests are simple straight forward tests that often help direct management. These are often suggested to be done by the referring physician BEFORE your appointment so that the information is immediately available. Imaging studies, like…