UroFitness™
FOR UROLOGISTS
Can I show you something I've been working on?
I don't know if this sounds familiar.
But before I finish almost every visit with a male patient, I ask about erectile dysfunction.
Not because I'm looking for more work.
Usually because I'm trying to avoid having the conversation after the visit is supposed to be over.
If I don't ask while the chart is still open, there's a decent chance the discussion will come back later.
Sometimes after the note is finished, billing has been submitted, and the EHR is already closed.
Sometimes while walking the patient to checkout.
And sometimes after I've already moved on to the next patient.
That's when my nurse alerts me and says:
"The last patient has one more quick question."
You and I both know what that means.
What should have been a 30-second question in the exam room becomes a much longer conversation.
Now I'm standing in the hallway trying to remember:
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What medication has he already tried?
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What dose was he taking?
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Which pharmacy does he use?
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Does he need a refill, a dose adjustment, or something else?
And all of this is happening after I've already moved on to the next patient.
Over time, I noticed something else
The prescription was usually the easy part.
The longer discussion was often about questions like:
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Why did it work one time but not another?
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Could it be stress?
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Could it be testosterone?
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How do I know whether it's physical or psychological?
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So what does all of this actually mean for me long term?
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Can you explain everything to my wife too?
Before long, what started as a prescription discussion has become a much larger conversation about physiology, aging, expectations, relationships, medications, hormones, and long-term health.
They're important questions.
They deserve thoughtful answers.
The challenge is that answering them completely often takes more time than a clinic day allows.
Eventually, I realized I was trying to provide treatment and education during the same appointment.
The solution was simple.
Medical management happens inside the exam room.
Education happens outside the clinic visit.
I could handle the evaluation, treatment options, prescriptions, refills, and medication adjustments in the exam room.
When the conversation began expanding into the larger questions about variability and interpretation, I could give the patient something that continues that discussion outside the visit.
That idea is what led me to create The Optimal Flow Blueprint and the handout you'll see below.
Here’s a 90-second overview
If you’ve had more than one erectile dysfunction conversation this week, this may feel familiar.
What A Handoff Might Sound Like
Every urologist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant will adapt this to their own style, but here are a few examples:
New ED Patient, Refill, or Medication Adjustment
I’ll take care of the treatment side today, and on your way out, I’ll also give you something that explains why erections can seem more reliable at some times and less reliable at others.
Partner Questions
I’ll give you something you and your partner can review together that explains why erections can seem more reliable at some times and less reliable at others.
What the patient actually experiences
Your patient begins with a short interactive orientation.
Most complete it in just a few minutes.
If they want a deeper understanding of their own experience, they can continue into the full educational framework.
Questions You Might Have
Built by a urologist for urologists
After years of having the same erectile dysfunction conversations in clinic, I wanted a better way to continue the education outside the visit.
My hope is that the framework saves you time, answers some of the questions that otherwise come back later, and makes those conversations a little easier to close.
I’m currently sharing the program with colleagues and gathering feedback from urologists and APCs as they begin incorporating it into practice.
If you decide to use the handout with a few patients, I’d genuinely be interested to hear what you think.
Jason Zommick, MD