The LUGPA board, in partnership with Specialty Networks, was thrilled to announce the return of Reviews in Urology in 2024, and no one more so than Specialty Networks’ CEO, Shailendra Sharma. “We are honored for our Reviews in Urology publication to be designated as the official journal of LUGPA and to further strengthen our partnership and commitment to LUGPA’s mission of preserving and advancing the independent practice of urology,” he said.

Reviews in Urology first launched in 1999 as a PubMed-indexed, quarterly journal featuring peer-reviewed research, case studies, thought leader interviews, and insights on emerging trends and research shaping the field of urology. Mr Sharma says that Specialty Networks now plans to build on the journal’s long-standing focus on cutting-edge urology advances while offering expanded coverage of a broad range of urologic conditions and specialty care concerns.

Mr Sharma sat down to talk with Neal Shore, MD, editor in chief of Reviews in Urology, to discuss the journal’s history and his hopes for the future of the journal and the profession.
 

Neal Shore, MD: Why did you feel it was important to acquire Reviews in Urology?

Shailendra Sharma: Reviews in Urology gave voice to the interests of independent urologists. It helped build credibility and highlighted the excellent care that these independent physician practices have delivered in all aspects of urology. The journal emphasized how community urologists continued to adopt the latest therapeutics and diagnostics while also pioneering clinical research and science in collaboration with academic urologists. It was successful in bridging the gap between urologists from independent practices and academic institutions.

Unfortunately, the journal and its publisher encountered economic challenges. When we learned that Reviews in Urology needed a new publisher, we immediately recognized that it perfectly fit Specialty Networks’ mission and vision.

We look forward to publishing Reviews in Urology as LUGPA’s official journal and are happy to have LUGPA as a partner. We are committed to reestablishing [Reviews in Urology] as the leading publication for independent urologists and their industry partners.

Dr Shore: Is there a need within Specialty Networks that Reviews in Urology addresses?

Mr Sharma: At Specialty Networks, our only objective is to support independent physician practices and provide technology and technology-enabled solutions that create clinical and economic value, thereby ensuring that independent urology practices are successful and can remain independent.

Specialty Networks has first-hand knowledge of how our member urology practices are using real-world data and artificial intelligence–enabled solutions to ensure that every patient can receive the right care at the right time according to optimized care pathways and guidelines. We want to highlight these accomplishments to the broader health care community—including tertiary systems, industry, payers, and government—and explore how these independent physician practices are continuing to achieve such high-quality delivery of care and remarkable patient outcomes at a much lower cost than in hospitals. Reviews in Urology plays a crucial role: highlighting the amazing accomplishments of our physician members despite their tremendous challenges with reimbursement, resource shortages, and burnout.

For all these reasons and many more, Reviews in Urology fits ideally with Specialty Networks’ mission and strategy to make independent physician practices successful.

Dr Shore: Why do you feel it is important to continue the journal partnership with LUGPA?

Mr Sharma: Specialty Networks and LUGPA share a similar mission—to support independent physician practices in urology—so this is a natural alignment. 

In addition to Reviews in Urology, Specialty Networks and LUGPA have been collaborating on various strategic initiatives:

• Introducing residents and fellows to independent physician practice setting
• Providing clinical education
• Facilitating thought leadership discussions on the latest therapeutics and diagnostics, such as precision medicine, via prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer academies
• Using SoNaR (Specialty Networks patient data registries) to move standards of care and clinical research forward

Dr Shore: In 2024 and beyond, what goals have you set for the journal?

Mr Sharma: Our top priorities will remain supporting independent physician practices, amplifying their voices, highlighting the outstanding work they do, and continuing to provide them with artificial intelligence–enabled technologies and tech-enabled services. Doing so will help them create clinical and economic value for our member practices and industry partners who play a key role in health care delivery.

Citation: Shore N. An interview with Shailendra Sharma, CEO, Specialty Networks. Rev Urol. 2024;23(1):e11-e12.

Corresponding author: Neal Shore, MD, Medical Director, Carolina Urologic Research Center, 823 82nd Pkwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572