Supportive care for the urology patient and family in the future

It is possible to gain glimpses of the future of patient- and caregiver-focused supportive care by exploring trends across society, clinical services, and the professions in the recent past. There is an expectation that clinical care will not only be provided in a competent way but that it will be provided in a context that recognizes the individual circumstances of the patient in the context of their life and support network. Although this has been a basic tenet of clinical care since the time of ancient Greece, its delivery in the 21st century is more difficult than ever. The increasing complexity of care and the continuing struggle to pay for health at a societal or individual level make the process of obtaining integrated care difficult. As fields of clinical endeavor become more specialized, the need for effective teams working cohesively becomes greater.