The patient, a 15-year-old male, presented with complaints of chest pain. View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis would be.
Read More
53-year-old woman with nonspecific complaints of significant abdominal pain
The patient, a 53-year-old woman, presented with nonspecific complaints of significant abdominal pain. View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis would be.
Read MoreAbstracts in Urgent Care: March, 2013
Statins for Prevention of UTIs? Key point: Statin use was significantly associated with reduced risk of urinary tract infections overall and for a second episode, but not for a first episode. Citation: Pouwels KB, Visser ST, Hak E. Effect of pravastatin and fosinopril on recurrent urinary tract infections. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2012 Oct 30; doi 10.1093/jac/dks419 [e-pub ahead of print]. Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, especially among women. Recent research has suggested that …
Read MoreModifier -25 and Urgent Care Codes
DAVID STERN, MD (Practice Velocity) Q. Can a patient be billed for an E/M code and an ultrasound procedure such as 93970, “Duplex scan of extremity veins including responses to compression and other maneuvers; complete bilateral study” during the same visit when both the scan and the E/M visit were performed by the same provider? A. If during an office visit it is determined that the ultrasound procedure needs to be performed on the same …
Read MoreDeveloping Data: March, 2013
These data from the 2012 Urgent Care Industry Benchmarking Study are based on a sample of 1,732 urgent care centers; 95.2% of the respondents were UCA members. Among other criteria, the study was limited to centers that have a licensed provider onsite at all times; have two or more exam rooms; typically are open 7 days/week, 4 hours/day, at least 3,000 hours/year; and treat patients of all ages (unless specifically a pediatric urgent care). In …
Read More“You Can’t Always Get What You Want…” “…but You Get What You Need!”
Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Love, politics and drugs were the subjects of Mick Jagger’s self-reflection in the 1960s rock anthem, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Since then, the song’s chorus has been reproduced and repurposed into everything from parenting advice to sociology lectures. Mick’s personal struggles with drugs and other temptations are referenced frequently as the artistic purpose of the song, and while he may not have intended greater ideological meaning, I …
Read More
March 2013
Strategies for Avoiding Drug-Drug Interactions in Urgent Care
Urgent message: With the increasing number of drugs on the market, patients are more and more likely to be taking multiple medications. Urgent care providers need to be alert for potential interactions when changing or adding to a patient’s drug therapy. MAYA HECK, MS1, and JOHN SHUFELDT, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP Consider This Patient Scenario:A 28-year-old woman who says she is a traveling nurse currently on an assignment at a nearby hospital presents to an …
Read More
Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome
Urgent message: Runners who train too much too soon risk serious injury. Prompt and thorough evaluation is necessary to spot CECS masquerading as “shin splints.” MATTHEW SPEER and JOHN SHUFELDT, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP Overview Running is one of the world’s most popular exercises, with millions across the globe participating and training for events from 5K races to ultramarathons of over 100 miles. Despite the fact that more than 10 million people run over 100 …
Read MoreClinical Challenge: March, 2013
The patient, a 30-year-year-old male, presented after a blow to his left foot and could not bear weight on it. View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
Read More