With High-Risk Pandemic Habits Hanging On, Urgent Care May Need to Fill a Primary Care Role

Some people who should be in the know say the pandemic is over, while other presumably knowledgeable sources say it’s merely diminished, with the threat of another surge being a constant concern. What’s indisputable is the fact that many habits patients developed during the lockdown phase are hard to shake. One is staying away from medical offices. New data reported by STAT show that visits to primary care practices are still down 10.3% compared with prepandemic levels. The biggest related potential threat is skipping well-care visits, including screening for potential chronic conditions. What typically would have been easily managed with early detection could become a life-threatening illness. Diabetes is a prime example. Patients who didn’t know they were diabetic before 2020 may still not know, leaving them open to complications. Urgent care providers would be advised to keep this in mind, especially when working with high-risk patients. A pair of articles in the JUCM archive would be especially helpful in this regard. Read Early Diabetes Screening in the Urgent Care, Part 1 and Early Diabetes Screening in the Urgent Care, Part 2 to ensure you’re well prepared.