Urotour 2012 Innsbruck

Center of Excellence: Department of Urology, University of Innsbruck, Medical school

City: Innsbruck Austria  

Director: Prof. W. Horninger

Visit Days: 14th-21 October 2012

Trainees:: Αpostolos Youris (Serres)

                    Spyros Spanopoulos (Athens)

 

What the trainees said

Αpostolos Youris

Description and Evaluation of the Center

Τhe  Department of Urology of the Innsbruck University is accommodated in a new building with impressive facilities. It occupies 3 floors. On the first floor are installed the physicians' offices, Outpatient Clinic, One-Day Clinic and Operation Rooms for endoscopic procedures, lithotripsies and incontinence cases. On the third floor are located the Main Operating Theaters and on the fourth floor the Hospital Patient Wards. The Robotic System is installed in the central building of the University Hospital. In overall, the Department holds 62 beds (for 52 adults and 10 children) covering all sorts of cases (regular admissions, one-day clinic cases, emergencies), while paedourological patients are hospitalized in a different ward.

The Clinic staff is composed of 14 Specialized Physicians, 4 of whom are Professors. The Clinic covers cases from the entire spectrum of Urology. The Director, Dr. Wolfgang Horninger, deals mainly with prostatic diseases and Dr. Christian Radmayr with paedourological and incontinence cases. Dr Hannes Steiner deals primarily with oncological cases and open oncological procedures, as well as with lithiasis and andrological issues in his daily practice. The educational level of Residents is "escalated"; this means that every Professor has 1-3 Residents under his supervision, to whom he gradually entrusts more and more difficult cases related to a specific field so that they improve and gain high expertise. It is a Center where the Visitor Physician can attend many different kinds of procedures. It is fully equipped and there is unrestricted use of materials  -always aiming at the highest level of health services provided to patients. The rest of the staff is also highly specialized and the role and contribution of the numerous Secretaries is substantial, as they are responsible for the exemplary full computerized organization.This remarkable organization, in combination with theconstantly updated library of the Clinic, significantly helps physicians  to carry out scientific protocols. It is a Clinic I would visit again with great pleasure and there is no doubt that I strongly recommend to other colleagues to do the same. Combined with some sightseeing around beautivul Innsbruck, then it is a really  'one-of-a kind experience'. 

Spyros Spanopoulos

Description and Evaluation of the Center

The Department of Urology of Innsbruck University is hosted in a new building with impressive facilities right next to the University of the city and covers an area of about 300.000 residents. It expands on 3 floors. On the first floor are installed the physicians' offices, Outpatient Clinic, One-Day Clinic and Operation Rooms for endoscopic procedures, lithotripsies and incontinence. On the third floor are located the Main Operating theaters and on the fourth floor the Hospital Patient Wards. The Robotic System is installed in the central building of the University Hospital. In overall, The Clinic holds 62 beds (for 52 adults and 10 children) covering all sorts of cases (regular admissions, one-day clinic cases, emergencies), while paedourological patients are hospitalized in a different ward.

During our stay, we were able to attend a wide range of different procedures. We were impressed by realizing that the Clinic disposes all modern state-of-the art equipment to provide the best possible treatment to patients. Also remarkable is the fact that physicians are specialized in specific fields. The rest of the medical staff deals exclusively with the Urology Clinic, facilitating in this way the daily operation of the Clinic, serving the smooth flow of cases and optimizing the patient's benefit. The materials used in daily practice are of the latest technology. Highly important is also the way the Secretariat of the Clinic works. This exceptional organization and operating system, along with the perfectly updated library of the Clinic, provide great help to physician for conducting scientific protocols and studies.

Besides the modern equipment and perfect organization of the Center, the order and discipline in all hospital premises are impressive with every person working there-irrespective of their hierarchical position- knowing exactly what to do and when and how to do it. I strongly recommend the Center to our young colleagues for getting to know the conditions in a Urology Department abroad. Both Apostolos and I myself would love to visit the Center again if given the opportunity.