President's Update - October 2025
Financial Update
I wanted to provide Members with an update on the financial position of USANZ. This will be valuable as a broad comparison to the financial issues of other organisations, and the appropriate ongoing discussion amongst urologists regarding the fiducial direction of our organisation. I am pleased to report that the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting held in Perth earlier this year has delivered an excellent financial outcome, with a surplus of $392,600.
This result underscores the continuing strength of our operations and reflects both the strong engagement of our Members and sponsors plus the prudent financial management of the meeting and the Society. Importantly our balance sheet remains in a robust position, with over $16 million in equity providing sufficient reserves to support future initiatives, manage contingencies, and sustain long-term growth.
The combination of consistent profitability and a solid financial foundation provides us with the capacity to continue advancing the Society’s objectives, while ensuring responsible stewardship of Members’ funds.
USANZ Response to Scope of Interventional Radiology Review
What I perceive to be a potentially very significant issue for urologists is the MBS review of recommendations from the Vascular Interventional Radiology Working Group, which is open for consultation until late October. Although nominally focused on treatment of vascular pathology, the recommendations of the committee are broad and use terminology that could potentially be applicable to other conditions in which interventional radiologists might not have the experience to judge what is best for an individual patient.
USANZ will respond to this review, both individually and in conjunction with RACS and ANZAUS , but I would encourage all Members to make their opinions apparent to the relevant government committee using the links provided on this page.
My own opinion is that Interventional Radiology is a service often underwritten by large corporate interests, and it is possible that over time pressure could be exerted to profit by extending the scope of practice beyond what might have been originally intended. I have suggested confining any adjustments in the MBS to the management of patients with conditions that are indicative of degenerative vascular pathology, and limiting interventional radiology rebates to referrals that are made from specialist medical practitioners rather than from primary care or other in-house radiologists. To me this seems the optimal way to ensure established, best-practice patient management continues in areas where IR practitioners may not be trained to the level of other specialists.
USANZ Projects
A significant milestone in the AoNZ Autonomy Project was reached in August, with USANZ and the Aotearoa New Zealand Society of Urology (ANZSU) signing a formal Cooperation Agreement to outline the ways in which our two societies will coordinate and collaborate. This was a core deliverable of the USANZ 2023-25 Strategic Plan, and the outcome reflects a desire to create autonomy for AoNZ Members on matters specifically relevant to them, whilst also keeping USANZ intact as one organisation representing urologists in our two countries.
A key objective of the Board of Directors is to see USANZ compliant with new Australian Government legislation concerning charitable organisations. Not achieving this status will impact many aspects of USANZ, notably including our tax-exempt status. It is likely that an adjustment to the Constitution will be required at the Annual General Meeting to be held next year. Details of this process will be presented at each of the Section Meetings, and any Member should feel free to make contact with myself or the USANZ CEO for additional information.
Having USANZ take media ownership of our role as the peak body for relevant specialist practitioners, specifically as advocates for best-practice management of urogenital pathology, is one of my key aims. To this end the Society will be strengthening its relationship with In The Media PR (ITM), a company with whom we have been engaging on a project basis up until this point. The new arrangement will see ITM working on a 6-month plan for media engagements with the aim of enhancing the public profile of USANZ.
We have recently added some extra resources to the USANZ website, providing Members with access to external support services which they should make use of as required.
Additionally an observership program is being created to assist Members in reinforcing their diagnostic and procedural training, and to assist in CME compliance. Any Member who wishes to nominate their department/practice as a site where other Members may visit to undertake a short placement, or who wishes to undertake such an observership themself, should feel free to contact the USANZ office or other Members listed in this area of the website.
The USANZ Board and staff met in August for the annual Strategic Planning Day, commencing work on the Society’s 2026-2028 Strategic Plan. We will share updates on the plan with Members in the coming months.
USANZ Collaborating Partnerships
Peter Heathcote will be presenting on the new Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer at the USANZ 2026 ASM in Melbourne. Peter will also present these guidelines as part of the panel in the Urology Beyond Europe Joint Session at EAU 2026 in London. The new Guidelines are due to be published later in 2025.
USANZ is working with ANZUP on several initiatives including their Bone Health Strategy. We are continuing our collaboration with ANZUP with the Best of GU evening to be held in Adelaide on 12 November 2025. This event is free for USANZ and ANZUP Members to attend, and I would like to encourage any Member, particularly those residing in Adelaide, to attend this event in support of our work
USANZ is exploring a Memorandum of Understanding with the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) which is likely to be finalised soon.
Events
The USANZ Urodynamics Workshop was held at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia from 19-20 September 2025. Convened by Ashani Couchman, this program featured presentations by Ailsa Edwards Wilson, Deborah Friberg, Johan Gani, Jos Jayarajan and David Winkle, and was an outstanding success. I am very grateful to all involved for their effort in developing this initiative which reinforces our status as the key providers and educators for this diagnostic evaluation, and for the ensuing patient management.
The annual USANZ Section Meetings are due to be held in the coming weeks, providing opportunities for regional Members to showcase academic work, participate in professional development activities and network with colleagues. A representative of the Leadership Group will attend each meeting and as always, we look forward to the opportunity to connect with Members and engage with the work being done in the Sections.
USANZ Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Committee is about to launch two new initiatives aimed at supporting participation in urology by underrepresented groups. The Indigenous Advancement Scholarship will offer four complimentary registrations to attend the USANZ 2026 ASM. Two complimentary registrations will be offered to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants, and two will be offered to Māori and/or Pasifika applicants. In addition, the DE&I Committee are launching an Essay Competition for medical students on the theme of “Inclusion without Exclusion: Addressing Perceptions of Reverse Discrimination in Surgical Careers”. One successful applicant will receive complimentary conference registration and up to $500 to subsidise travel costs. More information will be available in the near future.
Awards
Calls for Nominations are now open for the Society Awards, as well as the Daniel Christidis Scholarship and Dennis Deane Arnold Prize. Presented at the ASM Gala Dinner each year, these awards are decided upon by the Society Awards Nominations Committee. This year, the Committee for the Society Awards consists of Ashani Couchman, Helen O’Connell, and Mark Fraundorfer. The Scholarship & Prize Committee consists of Helen O’Connell, Rick Catterwell and Mark Fraundorfer
My sincere thanks go to all USANZ Members for the work that is done in providing the high standard of urologic care and training, of which we can all be proud.
Prof Damien Bolton
President, USANZ