Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Fresh Flu Numbers Show Upward Trend — Possibly Still Short of the Seasonal Peak

Flu activity surged in the United States during the final week of January with healthcare visits for respiratory virus symptoms reaching a notably high level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu test positivity rose to 31.6%, and outpatient visits for flu-like illness climbed to 7.8%, staying above the national baseline for the 10th consecutive week. Flu activity remains high or very high across most of the country. The CDC estimates …

Catapult Health Deal Paves More Inroads For Teladoc

Teladoc Health has agreed to acquire virtual preventive care provider Catapult Health for $65 million, including an additional $5 million in potential earnout payments, according to a press release. Originally launched as an on-site health checkup service for employers, Catapult shifted to virtual care in 2020, offering at-home diagnostic kits for blood tests, blood pressure readings, and other health and wellness screenings. The company serves hundreds of employers and reaches more than 3 million individuals. …

Evidence Favors NSAIDs For Pediatric Acute Pain

A meta-analysis of 41 randomized clinical trials found that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were as effective as ketamine and high-potency opioids for treating pediatric acute pain, while having fewer risks (N=4,935; median age 9.7 years). Researchers found all 3 drug categories outperformed placebo in treating that pain with at least moderate certainty. In the study, presented in JAMA Pediatrics, the reduction in pain severity was “modest” overall. Only NSAIDs reduced the need for rescue medication …

HCA Breaking Ground on 3 Freestanding ED Centers in Florida

HCA Healthcare this week announced plans to build 3 new freestanding emergency departments (EDs) across western Florida this year, according to a company press release. Officials say that recent population growth has inspired the need for more emergency care. HCA operates 17 hospitals in the region and a total of 186 hospitals across the United States and the United Kingdom. New EDs could draw business away from urgent care centers, so local operators have an …

Oseltamivir Can Reduce Flu Deaths Even With a Late Start

Seniors age 65 years and older can experience a significant reduction in mortality risk when treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir during influenza hospitalizations, even if they were not vaccinated for flu, according to research involving 8,135 influenza patients that was published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Patients who were given oseltamivir had an 18% lower risk of 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69 to 0.98). The overall mortality ratio …

Corticosteroids Can Reduce Pneumonia Deaths

Corticosteroids for patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can lower the risk of death within 30 days by 28%, as published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. Researchers in the Netherlands analyzed 8 published trials that used risk-and-effect modeling and intent-to-treat to compare adjuvant corticosteroid treatment with a placebo in 3,224 hospitalized CAP patients. Of those studied, 7.6% (246 patients) died within 30 days of diagnosis (6.6% of 1,618 in the corticosteroid group vs 8.7% [140 …

New Non-opioid Analgesic Suzetrigine Set to Launch for Treatment of Acute Pain

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week approved the new non-opioid analgesic suzetrigine (Journavx) to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults. Suzetrigine is an oral tablet that reduces pain by targeting the NaV1.8 pain-signaling pathway in the peripheral nervous system before the pain signals reach the brain. It is the first drug to be approved in this new class of pain management medicines, according to the FDA. Two randomized, double-blind trials of …

Montefiore Joins the List of One Medical Partners

Montefiore Health System is now the latest partner to hook its wagon to Amazon One Medical. In 2026, the health system will host the first One Medical brick-and-mortar primary care offices in New York’s Westchester County, according to a press release. With the affiliation, One Medical can refer patients to Montefiore for follow-up or additional health services. Montefiore and One Medical plan to open additional new facilities over the next several years as well. Some …

Clinical Review of Current Best Practices for Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent Message: Patients may present with needs surrounding tuberculosis (TB) screening, testing, and treatment to urgent care centers. There is considerable nuance in the approach to these scenarios with consequences for both patient and public health. Urgent care centers should develop clear guidelines for ensuring clinicians select the appropriate TB test for each patient and interpret the results accurately. Erin Loo, PA-C; Lindsey E. Fish, MD Citation: Loo E, Fish LE. Clinical Review of Current …

Looking Beyond the Mouth–A Rare Case of Acute Glaucoma Presenting with Dental Pain: A Case Report

Urgent Message: Acute angle closure glaucoma can present with a variety of types of head and facial pain. Rapid identification of concern for elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) or confirmation of elevated IOP by tonometry is critical for preserving vision. Mackenzie Brown, MD; Joshua W. Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FCUCM, FACEP; Alexander Branson, MD Citation: Brown M, Russell JW, Branson A. Looking Beyond the Mouth–A Rare Case of Acute Glaucoma Presenting with Dental Pain: A Case …