Practice Management
Like every generation, Millennials (defined as Americans born between 1981 and 1996) are inclined to share certain preferences and characteristics that might seem out-of-step with other generations. The thing is, Millennials will become the largest demographic segment of the U.S. population this year, according to Pew Research. So, at this point, consider they might not be the ones who are “out of step” if you view those preferences as counter to the way you do …
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Fast growth and the deepening physician shortage are quickening the pace at which urgent care operators need to fill clinical spots. The challenge is not simply finding the right personnel, though. Just as an urgent care facility must be credentialled, so must individual providers. That can take up to 120 days—which can have serious implications when it comes to billing patients. Say a patient whose insurance has you squarely in-network is seen by a physician …
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Keeping medications on site is, appropriately, a tightly regulated practice. Done improperly, it can put patients at physical risk while also leaving your operation wide open for penalties and litigation. Full compliance is your only salvation. To ensure you’re up to speed, log in to the Urgent Care Association’s upcoming webinar, Medication Management—Meeting and Maintaining Compliance, scheduled for Thursday, September 26. Melissa L. Pollard of Premier Health will walk participants through the steps necessary to …
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You turn over every stone to ensure your new hires are of the highest caliber not only clinically but as human beings. The vast majority of times, as in all urgent care businesses, your due diligence pays off. Then there’s the rare occasion when the horrific and unpredictable happens, as seen in a recent news story out of Fresno, CA. There, a male physician has been charged with five counts of various sex offenses against …
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The patients is an 88-year-old woman with 3 weeks of dizziness but no complaints of chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, focal neurological signs, or diaphoresis. An ECG is performed by staff prior to clinician evaluation. Upon exam, you find: General: Alert and oriented X 3, ambulatory Lungs: Clear to auscultation Cardiovascular: RRR without m/r/g Abdomen: Soft and NT without r/r/g Extremities: Normal Review the ECG and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. …
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The patient is a 59-year-old man who presents with pain in his elbow. He says he was experimenting with his son’s hoverboard, hanging on to a pole to steady himself. He lost his balance and fell, with his right arm taking the brunt of the impact. His range of motion is limited by both pain and swelling. View the images taken and consider what the diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case …
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Urgent message: Are Millennial employees breathing fresh energy into the urgent care workplace or are they a new breed of workers who don’t go along with established workplace norms? Your perspective may influence how you fair in their ascendance. Rachel Sossoman, MSHR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Introduction Millennials—Americans born between 1981 and 1996—became the largest demographic group in the U.S. workforce at 56 million strong in 2017; this year, they will overtake Baby Boomers as the largest …
Read MorePractice of Urgent Care: Rude Patients May Do More than Ruin Your Mood Key point: Individual and team performance of clinicians suffer in both quality of diagnostic approach and procedural skills when dealing with rude patients. Citation: Riskin A, Erez A, Foulk TA, et al. The impact of rudeness on medical performance: a randomized trial. Pediatrics.2015;136(3):487-495. Patients in urgent care commonly have unrealistic demands and expectations. When they make disparaging remarks, it’s easy to feel …
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Urgent message: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) occurs when a blood clot forms in the venous sinuses within the brain, preventing drainage of blood. It can cause blood cells to break down and leak into the brain tissues, forming a hemorrhage. This can result in stroke. CVST affects about 5 people in 1 million per year. Aasia Ferdous, DO and Jordan Miller, DO CASE PRESENTATION A 30-year-old female presented to urgent clinic with a headache …
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The patients is a 47-year-old woman undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer with 1 day of several red, flaccid bullae on her leg as well as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. View the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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