Practice Management
In recent years, the United States has witnessed a surge in cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), notably chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea, as per data sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and analyzed by US News & World Report. In 2021, gonorrhea cases showed a 28% increase, and syphilis cases showed a spike of 74%. The cumulative burden of STDs was pronounced with more than 2.5 million reported cases of chlamydia, …
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In a recent webcast, Steve Cain, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of California, and Myoung Cha, Chief Strategy Officer of Carbon Health, announced that the insurer will begin an at-risk primary care arrangement for the state’s commercial PPO market in partnership with Carbon Health, starting in January 2024. The deal represents Carbon Health’s first at-risk arrangement. Under the contract, Carbon Health will be accountable for the total cost of care for UnitedHealthcare’s PPO-covered lives in the state over the …
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Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP In its most modern form, medicine revolves around action. We are trained as clinicians to assess, diagnose, and intervene, but it’s the intervention part that patients expect most. This is especially true in urgent care (UC), where patients usually present in anticipation of some swift action for whatever is bothering them. I recently saw a healthy, middle-aged man in our clinic who was complaining of some mild chest pain. …
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A 46-year-old man with a history of hypertension presented in an urgent care center saying he’s had chest pain for 2 days. He also said the pain has been worsening each day, and today it is severe. He denies nausea, vomiting, or shortness of breath. On exam, he appears uncomfortable but has normal vital signs. View the ECG captured above and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is …
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An 8-year-old-boy presented to urgent care with his father for evaluation of 3 weeks of painless facial lesions. The patient had a history of atopic dermatitis and denies systemic symptoms. On examination, he appeared well. A cluster of umbilicated papules were seen over his right cheek. View the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the following page.
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On a Friday afternoon, a worried mother brings her 4-year-old daughter to the urgent care. She says the girl is complaining that her “side hurts.” The mother can’t recall any recent falls or injuries. Review the image of the anterior to posterior (AP) pelvis taken upon presentation and consider possible diagnoses and next steps you would recommend to the family.
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I’m assuming you saw news stories last month with headlines like this: “Walmart and Other Drug Stores Want to Help You Skip Trips to the Doctor.” Walmart Health is set to open 28 new locations in the coming year. Consumers can get testing and treatment for strep, flu, and COVID-19 at a Walmart pharmacy in 12 states, at Walgreens in 13 states, and at CVS in 10 states. Rite Aid is working on it, too. …
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Urgent message: Make the distinction between viral and bacterial conjunctivitis to ensure children receive appropriate treatment and to avoid the negative consequences of antibiotic overuse. Julian P. Ponsetto MD, Momoko K. Ponsetto MD Download the article PDF Here Citation: Ponsetto JP, Ponsetto MK. Differentiating acute conjunctivitis presentations in children. J Urgent Care Med. 2023;17(11):15-20. Infectious conjunctivitis or “pink eye” is common in the pediatric population, accounting for 2.7% of diagnoses in pediatric urgent care.1 However, …
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Urgent Message: Headaches are common, but when patients present with concurrent psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and signs of increased intracranial pressure, clinical teams might consider asking about recent travel to assess for possible neurocysticercosis. Naail Tariq, Cavan Scheetz, Michael Weinstock, MD Download the article PDF Here Citation: Tariq N, Scheetz C, Weinstock M. Headache and Paranoid Delusions: A Case Report of Missed Neurocysticercosis. J Urgent Care Med. 2023;17(X);31-34. Abstract Introduction Headache is a common urgent care …
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Urgent Message: Employer worksite clinics represent both a threat and an opportunity. Urgent care could lose some volume to no-cost care at work, but new business evolutions include partnering with local employers to develop onsite care models. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is President of Experity Consulting and Senior Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Patients today have more options for where they receive care than ever before, which means more competition for …
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