McMurray Building Clinic Opening
Integrating specialists and generalists to create closer links to early diagnosis, advanced technology, and timely treatment of urological diseases
Two years ago, Dr. James Downey added a 30 year old man with bothersome urinary symptoms onto his schedule. The patient had been seen in multiple Emergency Departments, treated for infection, undergone outpatient endoscopy, and still had no diagnosis. Downey, with more than 20 years of general urology experience, recognized that the picture did not add up to a simple prostate infection. A biopsy of the bladder revealed a rare malignant sarcoma, prompting immediate referral to the SCCA for advanced imaging, targeted chemotherapy and multidisciplinary cancer care.
With the opening of its Urology Center at UWMC Northwest, UW Medicine has taken a major step in its goal to continuously improve the care it delivers and solve the most challenging problems facing urology patients. The dedication of a new 15,477 square foot comprehensive outpatient facility creates closer links between urologists providing front line same day access with advanced diagnostic technology and early treatment of complex conditions by its subspecialists in the areas of urological cancer, kidney stones, and female pelvic medicine.
The Center balances the increasing specialization within the field of urology and the need for
patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable healthcare access. By placing general urologists, who see a range of diagnoses affecting women and men across the complete age spectrum, alongside urologists with advanced training in surgical treatment of complex cancers, kidney stones, and women’s pelvic floor and urinary disorders, patients will receive truly comprehensive care from the team of healthcare providers including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physical therapists.
Advanced technology increasingly determines the optimal diagnosis and treatment of common urological conditions including elevated PSA levels associated with prostate cancer, kidney stones and bladder cancer. The Urology Center will bring technologies typically associated with large academic medical facilities to UWMC‘s Northwest Campus. Anticipating the future where a man with elevation in the PSA blood test will undergo an initial MRI instead of biopsy, our urologists will employ the UroNAV Fusion technology to perform targeted biopsies on only the most suspicious prostate lesions. Patients needing kidney stone treatment will be offered a range of powerful lasers alongside novel NASA based clinical trials and prevention strategies to reduce the need for secondary surgeries. And for patients with recurrent bladder cancer, molecular diagnostic tools such as Blue Light Cystoscopy can identify hard to find tumors so they can be eradicated and prevent cancer recurrence.
Urological diseases place a significant burden on patients, families and the healthcare system because they are common, affect persons of all ages, and impact quality of life and longevity. Bringing all the needed components of excellent healthcare in a single location, the Urology Center at UWMC Northwest offers an exceptional combination of dedicated healthcare providers, integration of state of the art technology, and a beautiful and accessible facility.
