Practice Management
Whether they’re familiar with urgent care or not—and definitely if they’re not familiar with your urgent care operation—people may have a little anxiety about seeing a new medical facility move into their neighborhood. Yes, it’s always nice to have convenient access to healthcare, but how will traffic be affected? And exactly what type of patients are they going to attract, anyway? Making a good first impression will not only set minds at ease, but also …
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It’s a plain demographic fact that the segment of the U.S. population over the age of 65 is growing—and that it will continue to do so for years to come. It’s also been proven that seniors account for more healthcare spending than younger patients. In fact, they make up around 15% of the population right now, but contribute over 21% to healthcare costs. What’s more, seniors visit the emergency room more frequently and stay there …
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Just as the United States House of Representatives held hearings to explore ways to encourage more people to get vaccinated against measles—acknowledging that fear over mythical side effects makes a significant impact—a new study in Denmark provides further scientific proof that there is no link between vaccines and autism. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, focused on 657,461 children, some of whom were unvaccinated per their parents’ wishes and some of whom …
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Urgent care providers are well trained, well educated, and well prepared to treat patients with a wide array of complaints. One of the challenges is, there are still a great many people who don’t know that. The same holds true for employers in your area, who also may not realize that many urgent care centers offer occupational medicine services. Advertising, marketing campaigns, cold calls, and signage are all good ways to try to reach them, …
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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that after years of decline, the number of HIV infections in the United States has pleateaued. New infections have stabilized, prompting the CDC to issue a call “for immediate action” on the part of healthcare providers, regardless of setting, to be more proactive in preventing HIV. The CDC’s report, Ending the Epidemic: A Plan for America, breaks down its recommendations into four steps: Protect …
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Deaths due to accidental opioid overdoses have reached unprecedented heights. In fact, according to new data from the National Safety Council, the odds of dying of an accidental opioid overdose are greater than being killed in a car accident in the United States. The odds for death by accidental opioid overdose are now 1 in 96, compared with 1 in 103 for car accidents. Recognizing the risk even in advance of the troubling new data, …
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Case The patient is an 18-month-old girl brought to your urgent care center by her parents. They report that she has been scratching her abdomen. When they lifted her shirt, they found multiple hyperpigmented macules widespread across the front and back of her trunk. She also has 1 hour of wheezing. View the photo taken, and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page. …
Read MoreUrgent message: While competition for patients among urgent care operators can be intense, speaking negatively of a competitor online can lead to unwanted liability. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Competition between businesses can be intense. In some instances, comparisons between one company and another can lead to disparaging and inaccurate claims. This can result in unneeded liability for an urgent care owner. Here, we examine how the law of defamation in social media applies to …
Read MorePractice of Urgent Care: More Patients, More Decisions, More Fatigue Key point: We should be aware, as clinicians, that as we progress through our shifts, decision fatigue mounts. One manifestation of decision fatigue is an incremental decline in antibiotic stewardship. It is also important to understand that taking breaks seems to combat the harmful effects of decision fatigue. Citations: Linder JA, Doctor JN, Friedberg MW, et al. Time of day and the decision to prescribe …
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Urgent message: The idea of a “typical” urgent care operation buyer is evolving along with the industry. While private equity has been an essential player in market growth, healthcare organizations with longer-term vision are now more commonly involved in acquisitions. Corey Palasota, CFA and Emily Schmidt, CFA It’s no secret private equity (PE) has a played a paramount role in the design, development, and growth of the urgent care industry. Collectively, these firms have invested …
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