Long before the first flowers of the new year bloom, an even earlier indicator of winter’s end manifests itself: teenagers plotting and perseverating over Spring Break plans. Partially a rite of passage and in other ways an early indicator of a youth’s future fate, much can be predicted about an adolescent’s trajectory by their choice of destination and activity during this vernal vacation. Sure, it’s not a perfect science. However, it’s safe to say that …
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A 72-Year-Old Female with Lesions on Her Lower Legs
The patient is a 72-year-old woman who complains of multiple skin lesions on her lower legs. She says she first noticed them several months ago, appearing in a net-like pattern, then becoming painful ulcerations, and finally leaving atrophic scars. She is concerned because she had already had several bouts of deep vein thrombosis. View the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the …
Read MorePrescribing Pharmacists: Cheaper and More Accessible Than Urgent Care?
Urgent message: As states move forward with legislation enabling pharmacists to prescribe, not just dispense, the urgent care industry must consider the implications on competition, collaboration and public health. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. On February 11, 2020, the Virginia legislature passed bills HB 1506 and SB 1026, respectively, enabling pharmacists to prescribe medications, not …
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Rhabdomyolysis in the Urgent Care: An Unexpected Case of Myalgias
Urgent message: Rhabdomyolysis has a wide range of presentations, from asymptomatic to life-threatening. The most dramatic presentation can result in acute renal failure, electrolyte imbalances, and/or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Jordan Miller, DO, Ari Leib, MD, and Andre Bonnet, DO EPIDEMIOLOGY Approximately 26,000 cases of rhabdomyolysis are reported in America yearly, with 10% to 50% progressing to acute renal failure.1,2 Mortality rates range from 7% to 80% and are higher in patients who develop multiorgan …
Read MoreImage May not Be Everything, but Imaging Comes Pretty Close
It used to be that the ability to administer x-rays on site was enough to distinguish one urgent care center’s superiority over another. With most urgent care operators understanding that patients have come to expect x-ray services these days, however, it’s not such a competitive advantage. Rather, making the process as smooth as possible and ensuring the reads are spot-on should encourage patients to come back in the future. Failing to do so will likely …
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The Psychology of Why Your Patients Love You or Hate You
Urgent message: Often, it seems that patients and families either love you or hate you. There’s a science to why they feel those extremes, though—and understanding it can increase your chance of engendering patient loyalty and positive reviews. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. As a measurement of patient satisfaction, operations execution, and future business success, …
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A 54-Year-Old Female with Nonproductive Cough and Rhinorrhea
The patient is a 54-year-old female woman who presents to urgent care with a 3-day history of nonproductive cough with associated rhinorrhea. She does endorse some chest pain after coughing episodes, which resolve with NSAIDs. She otherwise denies nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, or exertional symptoms. Personal medical history is remarkable for hypertension. View the ECG and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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A 90-Year-Old Male with Shoulder Pain After a Fall
The patient is a 90-year-old man who has been driven to your urgent care center by his granddaughter after falling in his home. He complains of pain in his left shoulder, which he says took the brunt of the impact. View the image taken and consider what your next steps and diagnosis would be.
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How Does a Private Equity Buyer View the Future Landscape of Urgent Care?
Urgent message: Private equity remains highly interested in the urgent care sector and will continue to be an active buyer group, but the next generation of leading platforms will need to demonstrate superior operational competencies and a differentiated growth strategy. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care, LLC and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. At the 2020 ConvUrgent Care Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, …
Read MoreThirty-Three Billion Reasons Patients Should Be Heading to Urgent Care Instead of the ED
Urgent care has flourished because of its defining attribute of providing high-quality, walk-in care more efficiently and less expensively than the emergency room offers. Yet, we continue to read articles in the mainstream media saying that so many people still flock to the ED with relatively minor complaints that during high-volume periods (like flu season), hospital and local health officials practically beg them to go to an urgent care center instead. The question of why …
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