David M. Albala, MD, presented “Update on Robotic Prostatectomy PSMA Scanning – Setting up a Program in Your Practice” during the 24th Future Directions in Urology Symposium in August 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
How to cite: Albala, David M. “Update on Robotic Prostatectomy PSMA Scanning – Setting up a Program in Your Practice.” August 2024. Accessed Nov 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/update-on-robotic-prostatectomy-psma-scanning-setting-up-a-program-in-your-practice/
Update on Robotic Prostatectomy PSMA Scanning – Setting up a Program in Your Practice – Summary
David M. Albala, MD, outlines the steps and considerations for establishing a PSMA screening program within a urology practice, emphasizing its potential as a transformative tool for prostate cancer management.
In this 12-minute presentation, Dr. Albala discusses the key considerations for implementing PSMA screening, including regulatory, logistical, and financial planning. Significant capital investment is necessary, and operational logistics—such as proximity to cyclotrons for timely tracer delivery—are vital for efficiency. The practice size and volume of patient referrals also influence the feasibility.
Dr. Albala addresses practicalities like accreditation, insurance reimbursements, and partnerships. Ultimately, PSMA imaging is feasible and advantageous in private practice, offering patients convenient access to advanced diagnostics while underscoring the importance of careful pre-planning to ensure program success.
The Future Directions in Urology Symposium (FDUS) is an annual urology think tank and non-CME educational summit that brings together industry figures and experts to discuss the current state of genitourinary care and define future directions in treatment. Dr. Dreicer delivered this educational activity during the 24th iteration of the meeting in August 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David M. Albala, MD, graduated with a geology degree from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He completed his medical school training at Michigan State University and went on to complete his surgical residency at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Following this, Dr. Albala was an endourology fellow at Washington University Medical Center under the direction of Ralph V. Clayman. He practiced at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago and rose from the ranks of Instructor toProfessor in Urology and Radiology in eight years. Ten years later, he became a tenured Professor at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. At Duke, he was Co-Director of the Endourology Fellowship and Director for the Center of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Urological Surgery. He has over 247 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has authored three textbooks in endourology and seven in general urology. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Robotic Surgery. Dr. Albala serves on the editorial board for Medical Reviews in Urology, Current Opinions in Urology, and Urology Index and Reviews. He serves as a reviewer for eight surgical journals. He is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Urology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. In addition, he was ranked among the top 2% of urologists in the world by a Stanford University study done in May 2021.
At the present time, Dr. Albala is Chief of Urology at Crouse Hospital and a member of Associated Medical Professionals in Syracuse, New York. He is considered a national and international authority in laparoscopic and robotic urological surgery and has been an active teacher in this area for over 20 years. His research and clinical interests have focused on robotic urological surgery. His other clinical interests include minimally invasive treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), biomarkers in prostate cancer, and the use of fibrin sealants in surgery. He has been a Visiting Professor at numerous institutions across the United States as well internationally in multiple countries including India, China, Iceland, Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and Singapore. In addition, he has done operative demonstrations in over 32 countries and 23 states. He has trained 19 fellows in endourology and advanced robotic surgery.
In addition, Dr. Albala is a past White House Fellow who acted as a special assistant to Federico Pena, Secretary of Transportation, on classified and unclassified public health related issues.
