Urology Clinical Insights

• The Vattikuti Urology Institute is the leading and most experienced prostate cancer program in the world. As the pioneers of robotic prostatectomy, Vattikuti Urology Institute’s innovations have made robotic prostatectomy the surgical standard of care for prostate cancer. Patients seeking the best care have traveled to Detroit from all 50 states and every continent -- including Antarctica -- to receive treatment from the urologists at Henry Ford. With our innovative, multidisciplinary approach, we are also the training center for surgeons around the globe in robotic prostate surgery, kidney and adrenal surgery, bladder surgery and pediatric urologic procedures.
• We are home to a highly motivated, multidisciplinary research team dedicated to advancing excellence in urological care. Our work spans the full spectrum of health outcomes research, including racial and socioeconomic disparities in care, challenges faced by vulnerable populations such as incarcerated patients, and the impact of neighborhood poverty on health outcomes. We lead numerous initiatives evaluating the quality of urological care delivered at Henry Ford Health and across the nation, develop advanced AI-driven models to predict cancer control outcomes, and conduct randomized clinical trials testing innovative, next-generation surgical approaches, including precision prostatectomy. Over the years, our team has generated multiple practice-changing studies that have been incorporated into national and international clinical guidelines. With more than 60 peer-reviewed publications annually, our research enterprise ranks among the top 5% in academic productivity nationwide.
• Nabeel Shakir, MD is one of 12 recipients of the American Urological Association/Urology Care Foundation Research Scholar Awards to support his unique collaboration between the Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research, the Department of Urology and the Division of Interventional Radiology at Henry Ford Health. Dr. Shakir will lead the academic portion of the grant for his project, “A Multiphase Optimization Strategy to Reduce Delays in Management of Chronic Nephrostomy Tubes.”