Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Repairing Parallel Lacerations in the Urgent Care Center

Urgent message: Parallel lacerations or those that simply occur in close proximity pose a unique challenge for the urgent care clinician. Repairing either wound without inflicting further trauma on the other(s) requires both skill and familiarity with performing the appropriate technique. Patrick O’Malley, MD The Problem Lacerations in close proximity pose a unique challenge for the urgent care clinician. This situation is often encountered in the unfortunate setting of patients engaged in “cutting” behaviors. Narrow …

A 35-Year-Old with Neck Pain After an Auto Accident

The patient is an otherwise healthy 35-year-old male who presents with posterior neck pain after a motor vehicle accident. View the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be.

Getting the Most Out of Your Urgent Care Google Ads Budget in 2022

Urgent message: As urgent care volume has dropped from pandemic highs, the average cost per click of Google Ads for searches related to “urgent care” has gone up—often considerably.” Advertisers need to understand the factors that affect these costs in order to optimize their budgets. Ira Pasternack The Google Ads Auction Framework Google Ads is built on an auction model that determines the cost of “clicks.” Every time a search occurs, Google uses an algorithm …

A 100-Year-Old Female Presents with Right Foot Pain

Images and case presented by ECG Stampede View the ECG taken and consider the questions below when determining your diagnosis and next steps. KEY QUESTIONS What is the pacemaker mode? What are the indications for pacemaker insertion?

A Half Century of Urgent Care: What Today’s Startups Need to Know

The urgent care industry is in its fifth decade and still growing! The driving forces of affordability and accessibility continue to fuel this growth. Success has been propelled by the agility of urgent care operators in adjusting their business model to meet the demands of their communities. Initially, urgent care centers were a welcome supplement in communities where the emergency department was the only option for medical care apart from PCPs or specialist offices. Roughly …

Cost-Effective Ambulatory Care for Emergency Department Avoidance

Urgent message: Industry perception is that urgent care offers the opportunity for potentially substantial cost savings while also providing safe, effective care for complaints of appropriate acuity. Data supporting those claims have been lacking, however. Lo Fu Tan, MD, MS, FCFP, FAAFP and Jillian Kreston, MBA, MEcon Citation: Tan L F, Kreston J. Cost-effective ambulatory care for emergency department avoidance. J Urgent Care Med. 2022;16(10):25-32. BACKGROUND A 2019 brief published by the United Health Group …

Management of Burn Blisters in Urgent Care

Urgent message: Though data are limited and approaches to burn blister management remain controversial (eg, leaving blisters intact vs deroofing or aspirating), appropriate initial care in the urgent care setting is both feasible and advisable and can reduce risk for infection and scarring. Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed MBBS, FRNZCUC, Winston McEwan FRACS, and Sana Maqsood MPhil, Cert PH Citation: Ahmed MZ, McEwan W, Maqsood S. Management of burn blisters in urgent care. J Urgent Care Med. …

Essential Tools for Urgent Care—Finger Tourniquet

Urgent message: Use of a finger tourniquet can ensure a bloodless field when performing laceration repair to fingers and toes, thereby reducing risk for damage to underlying vital structures and increasing the prospects for positive outcomes. Patrick O’Malley, MD After repairing scores of finger lacerations over the years, I have learned there are a few essential supplies required for these cases; the most critical among them, however, is the finger tourniquet. This simple device makes …

Brain Abscess in an Immunocompetent Patient: Complex Pathology and Communication

Urgent message: Remain diligent in the evaluation of headache; though often a benign condition, the possibility for severe morbidity and mortality warrants careful evaluation of subtle aspects within the history and/or physical exam. INTRODUCTION Headache is one of the most common complaints in the urgent care setting, yet also one that can be daunting for a provider. While there are many benign causes, such as a migraine or tension headache, the potential for an emergent …

An 87-Year-Old Male with Chest Pain, SOB, and a History of Valvular AFib, Stroke, and Heart Failure

An 87-year-old male with past medical history of valvular atrial fibrillation, prior stroke, and heart failure presents to urgent care with chest pain and shortness of breath for 3 days. The pain and difficulty breathing are associated with bilateral lower extremity swelling for 1 week. View the ECG taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.