StuWilli, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

California Looks at $400 Billion (with a B) Single-Payer Bill

Some California legislators are hoping to push through a single-payer healthcare bill that would cost the state an estimated $400 billion—more than the entire national budget of Honduras (and 116 more countries across the globe). If passed, the bill would in effect eliminate health insurance companies there and provide government-funded health coverage for all residents. If it needs to be said, funding the plan would require “significant tax increases,” according to legislative analysts. On the …

Texas is Finally on Board with Telemedicine

After stutters and starts, Texas became the last state in the U.S. to enact legislation allowing doctors to treat patients virtually. Proponents argue that it was sorely needed, as Texas ranks 46th in the country in the number of primary care physicians per capita—71.4 PCPs for every 100,000 residents, according to telehealth provider Teledoc; 35 counties don’t have a family physician at all. Teladoc actually started operating in Texas in 2005, but the state medical …

Georgia Blues Put Pressure on Patients to Choose Between Urgent Care and the ED

Going to the emergency room for a simple sore throat will cost Georgians who get their insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia as of July 1, when a new rule designed to cut unnecessary healthcare costs goes into effect. In a nutshell, it demands that patients choose another care setting unless they have a true emergency—urgent care being the most likely source, given the difficulty many find when trying to make timely appointments …

Study: Risk of Cyberattacks is Growing—But Readiness Isn’t

Most device makers and over half of providers surveyed say a virtual attack on devices is “likely” in the next year. Unfortunately, the new study by the Ponemon Institute, working on behalf of Synopsys, also reveals that medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers are simply not prepared to defend themselves—and the patient data they’re entrusted with. Around 80% of respondents find developing secure devices to be a “major challenge” thanks to coding errors, deficient expertise …

June 2017

How often do patients utilize urgent care?

Urgent care thrives on repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth from loyal patients. Although many urgent care centers track the percentage of new vs established patients—those who have been seen in the past 3 years—few measure frequency of use by individual patients. This is an important measure used in other service businesses, however, based on the assumption that customers who patronize their favorite businesses more often also spend more money, and encourage others (either in person and …

A 42-Year-Old Woman with Short-Term Dizziness and Vomiting

Case This 42-year-old woman presents to your urgent care center with a 2-hour history intermittent dizziness and vomiting. She denies diarrhea or exposure to ill persons. Further history reveals that she has recently had some epigastric discomfort. In the exam room, she is alert and oriented. She seems comfortable, in fact. In addition, you find: Lungs: Minimal bilateral symmetric wheezing Cardiovascular: Regular rate and rhythm without murmur, rub, or gallop Abdomen: Soft and nontender without …

A 37-Year-Old Man with a Two-Day History of Chest Pain

The patient is a 37-year-old man who reports a two-day history of chest pain. It worsens with exertion, and when he lays back; it improves when he’s sitting or leaning forward. He denies any diaphoresis, radiation, or back pain. No pleuritic aspect. During the exam, he is alert and oriented, and in no distress. In addition, you find: Lungs: Clear to auscultation bilaterally Cardiovascular: Regular rate and rhythm without murmur, rub, or gallop Abdomen: Soft …

Level of Billing Complexity Follows Level of Lacerations in Wound Repair

Q: We had a patient present with multiple lacerations and were wondering how to bill, since some were repaired with sutures and some were repaired with staples. A: Laceration repair is billed based on the complexity, length of the repair, and the anatomic site. The repair can consist of sutures, staples, or wound adhesive (eg, Dermabond). The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) manual classifies the complexity of the repair of wounds as being simple, intermediate, or …

Healthcare Systems Shifting Capital Away from Hospitals to Ambulatory Care, Telemedicine

Tenet Healthcare Corp. is reducing capital spending for hospitals by $150 million in its 2017 budget in order to add urgent care centers in key markets, and to open freestanding emergency departments and microhospitals over the next 18–24 months. The idea is to shore up the facilities’ ability to meet growing volume in those settings. Kaiser Permanente is also building up its spending on emerging practice trends; in recognition of the fact that more than …