Digital health innovations in urology: telemedicine, wearables, and mobile applications – a systematic review of literature

Abstract

Purpose of review There are enough publications on the use of telemedicine, wearable devices, and mobile applications in urology; however, their collective impact on urological care has not been adequately studied. This review seeks to address this deficiency by providing a descriptive analysis of the recent use of telemedicine, wearable technology, and mobile applications in urology as well as elucidating their associated challenges. Recent findings There are studies that were dedicated to the use of telemedicine, wearables, and mobile apps in urology according to inclusion criteria, respectively. They were successfully implemented in different urological subfields, such as urogynecology, endourology, pediatric urology, and uro-oncology, and led to time safety, remote monitoring, and better patient awareness. However, several concerns also exist, such as issues with data safety, measurement deviations, technical limitations, and lack of quality. Summary Telemedicine, wearables, and mobile apps have already shown their potential in urological practice. However, further studies are needed to expand both our understanding of their current state and their potential for further development and clinical use.