Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

The Power of the First Call: Building Command Telephone Presence

Urgent message: After an urgent care center spends thousands of dollars on marketing and advertising to raise awareness, it should be fully prepared to “welcome” patients whose first interaction with the practice is often by telephone. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. As a volume-driven practice model, urgent care must utilize a number of expensive marketing …

Which Way to Go: The Pros and Cons of 1099 vs W-2 Income for Urgent Care Physicians

Urgent message: To avoid running afoul of labor and tax laws, urgent care operators should understand what constitutes an “independent contractor” vs an “employee” and classify and pay their physicians appropriately. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Introduction Many smaller, independent urgent care providers pay their physicians under 1099 arrangements rather than with W-2 income. There are …

Establishing Success Habits for Leaders and Organizations

Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Urgent message: High achievers across industries and professions all share a common trait: the ability to leverage the power of habit to ingrain positive behaviors that lead to success. Hence, urgent care operators that can cultivate great habits in themselves and their teams effectively lay the foundation for a thriving …

Preventing Medication Errors in the Urgent Care Center

Urgent message: Medications can heal, but they can also be deadly. That’s why protocols and controls, supported by rigorous and frequent documentation, are needed to reduce the possibility of medication errors in the urgent care setting. The most recent 10-year study on medical errors by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (sponsored by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) found that medication errors are by far the most common medical errors, harming …

Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Urgent Care Workplace

Urgent message: Recent high-profile sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood and Washington beg the question as to whether urgent care operators should proactively adopt a policy addressing sexual harassment. Alan Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. The #MeToo movement has been sweeping the nation as of late, impacting Hollywood and Washington, DC in immense ways. However, the push against …

Developing a Reimbursement Policy for CME and Other Employee Expenses

Urgent message: Every urgent care center should have a clear policy outlining which employee expenses, including CME-related expenses, it reimburses and how reimbursement occurs. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Managers, owners, and supervisors in nearly every field need to be familiar with the process of reimbursing employees for costs incurred while doing company business. Whether …

Effectively Utilizing 90-Day Probationary Periods for New Employees

Urgent message: A 90-day probationary period suspends the standard employment rules for new employees, enabling them to learn the position, but providing an “out” before the employee becomes too entrenched. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care, LLC and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Introduction Whenever a company hires a new employee, despite the most sound recruiting and interviewing processes, they’re taking a …

The Dangers of Sitting Down on the Job

Urgent message: Prolonged sitting has been called the “new smoking” causing a host of diseases, making it a concern for both employees and employers. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Think about your typical workday for a moment: What does it look like? You sit at your desk for a significant period of time, of course. …

Beware of Digital Distractions in the Workplace

Urgent message: While the launch of handheld technologies, email, messaging, and social media brought an immediate increase in productivity through the ability to access information instantly, over time these modern wonders have proven to become a distraction in the workplace. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Whether it’s email, social media, or internet searches, the modern workplace …

New Rules for Beneficiary Inducements at Urgent Care Centers

Urgent message: Unlike other retail businesses, which commonly provide gift cards and other incentives in marketing or as remediation for unsatisfactory service, urgent care operators must be aware of various statutes prohibiting “inducements” to patients. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. People in the U.S. love the idea of getting something for nothing. Businesses across the …

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