Urgent message: Patient discomfort, inconvenience, and concerns—warranted or not—over possible vision loss make it essential for the urgent care clinician to quickly distinguish between benign conditions and those requiring referral, and to be able communicate clearly with the patient. By Eric Langerman, medical student, Colleen Czerniak, pharmacy student, Mikayla Spangler PharmD, Shailendra Saxena, MD, PhDAny ocular pathology can be distressing to the patient, as such conditions can often disrupt activity and even provoke concern about …
Read MoreDeveloping Data: December, 2010
In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we offer another look at data from the most recent annual survey conducted by UCA. (In early 2008, UCA revamped its annual survey in conjunction with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University, with the goal of assuring that the UCA Benchmarking Committee’s efforts produced a scientifically valid report.) In this issue: What …
Read MoreCoding for Complicated or Multiple I&Ds, Head CT, and Follow-ups— and When to Use CPT 99051
DAVID STERN, MD (Practice Velocity) Q. I notice that the code for complicated or multiple incision and drainage (I&D) procedures almost twice the reimbursement as the superficial I&D code. When can I code the code 10061 (Incision and drainage of abscess, e.g., carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia; complicated or multiple)? Anonymous A. The concept of multiple (i.e., more than one) is straightforward. The concept of complicated I&D is less …
Read MoreDisciplined Time Management Drives Your 2011 Marketing Plan
Discipline on the “sales side” involves two significant issues: time management and playing the numbers game. Time management is the essence of effective sales. It’s mathematical: carve out 20% more time for sales and your numbers go up by 20% or more. Monitor your time allocation through the maintenance of honest weekly time sheets. Do not drift away from this commitment; keep your timesheets going through both good times and bad, look for shortfalls on …
Read MorePreventing the “Delta Uniform,” or, Malpractice Reduction in the Urgent Care Center
John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP A few years ago, I flew over to San Diego to watch the Red Bull Air Races. A friend of mine who is pilot occupied the right seat and another friend (also a pilot) was in the back of the plane seated with another friend. As we got closer to San Diego, I noticed that a thick inversion layer (dense fog) blanketed the coast. The lack of visibility required …
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Bridging the Management Divide: Understanding Physician Leadership
Urgent message: Physicians are trained for clinical care; administrators are trained for business management. These differences can create conflict regarding how healthcare is (and should be) managed. So what happens when the physician is the administrator? Trevor Rohm, MD, MS Introduction There is a philosophical division between physicians and healthcare management/administration. There are a variety of causes for this great divide, but understanding how physicians think, act, listen, and learn can provide invaluable insight into …
Read MoreClinical Challenge: December, 2010
In each issue, JUCM will challenge your diagnostic acumen with a glimpse of x-rays, electrocardiograms, and photographs of dermatologic conditions that real urgent care patients have presented with. If you would like to submit a case for consideration, please email the relevant materials and presenting information to [email protected]. The patient is a 16-year-old boy who presents with local swelling of both eyelids. There is no limitation in the range of motion of either eye, however. …
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A 23-year-old Woman with a Scapular Fracture
Urgent message: Mechanism of injury – in case being thrown from a slow-moving vehicle – provides essential clues to the extent of injuries, even if the patient initially thought them to be relatively minor. Proper evaluation requires a thorough history. Shannon Dowler, MD The Case The patient is a 23-year-old female who presented to urgent care with an approximately 36-hour history of “shoulder pain.” She is otherwise well-appearing. Discussion with the patient reveals that she …
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November 2010
Developing Data: November, 2010
In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we offer another look at data from the recent annual survey conducted by UCA. (In early 2008, UCA revamped its annual survey in conjunction with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University, with the goal of assuming that the UCA Benchmarking Committee’s efforts produced a scientifically valid report.) In this issue: What time …
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