Clinical management
Recurrent UTIs and cancer
Patients with bladder and kidney cancer may experience diagnostic delays. A prospective mixed-methods study aimed to identify contributors to potential missed diagnostic opportunities.
Only one-third of patients with recurrent UTIs were referred as per guideline recommendations. Patients reported being prescribed repeated courses of antibiotics without a clinical review/ examination and experienced suboptimal communication of results.
WiseGP Actions
When issuing treatment for UTIs do you routinely check if it is a recurrent infection? As other healthcare professionals are often involved, would a template be useful to prompt further review for recurrent infections?
Reflect on whether your practice has a clear process for following up patients with visible/ non-visible haematuria who need repeat testing at interval/ after treatment for a urinary tract infection. Perhaps this could make a useful audit topic for your GP registrar or practice pharmacist, after which they could implement a new pathway?
Read about the evidence informing this GEM here:
