In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we offer a look at data from the 2010 Urgent Care Benchmarking Survey Results. These data are based on responses of 1,691 US urgent care centers; 32% were UCA members. The survey was limited to “full-fledged urgent care centers,” the qualifications for which included accepting walk-ins during all hours of operation, as well as …
Read MoreMedical Necessity in E/M Coding, Part 2: ROS and PFSH
DAVID STERN, MD (Practice Velocity) Last month, we presented definitions for medical necessity offered by the AMA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We looked at the elements appropriate to perform and document in the History of Present Illness (HPI). And we briefly discussed Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) audits. (If you missed it, the column is archived on the JUCM website [https://www.jucm.com] in the May 2011 issue.) This month, our focus is …
Read MoreAbstracts in Urgent Care: June, 2011
When Should Diagnostic Imaging Be Used for Patients With Low-back Pain? Key point: With low-back pain, the risks associated with X-rays and MRIs often outweigh the benefits. Citation: Daily POEM: imaging for low-back pain: rarely indicated, often harmful. Available at: www.essentialevidience- plus.com. These guidelines are based on a systematic review and meta- analysis of research investigating the usefulness of various im- aging studies in patients with low-back pain. Based on a meta- analysis of six …
Read MoreClinical Challenge: June, 2011
The patient is an otherwise healthy child, age 11, who presents with acute pain to the wrist following a blow. View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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57-year old patient bothered by a troublesome cough
This otherwise healthy 57-year-old patient presented with a bothersome cough in the right side of the chest. View the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be.
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42-year-old man unable to bear weight on his ankle
This 42-year-old patient twisted his left foot. The patient is in pain but able to bear weight. View the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be.
Read MoreClinical Challenge 2: May, 2011
The patient is an otherwise healthy 22-year-old male who presents with three weeks of cough. He has already been treated with a macrolide. View the image taken (Figure 1) and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be.
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May 2011
Abstracts in Urgent Care: May, 2011
Complications of Sinusitis in Children Key point: Intracranial complications of pediatric sinusitis were more severe than intraorbital complications. Citation: Goytia VK, Giannoni CM, Edwards MS. Intraorbital and intracranial extension of sinusitis: Comparative morbidity. J Pediatr. 2011;158(3):486-491. Serious complications of sinusitis occur more often in children than in adults. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are necessary to minimize morbidity and the risk for permanent sequelae or death. In arecent study, investigators reviewed records from a large chil- …
Read MoreDeveloping Data: May, 2011
In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we offer a look at data from the 2010 Urgent Care Benchmarking Survey Results. These data are based on responses of 1,691 US urgent care centers; 32% were UCA members. The survey was limited to “full-fledged urgent care centers,” the qualifications for which included accepting walk-ins during all hours of operation, as well as …
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