Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FACEP, FCUCM Archives

Uncovering the Unexpected: A Case of Chronic Cough in an Adolescent with an Unusual Etiology

Urgent Message: Chronic cough has a distinct differential diagnosis in different age groups. A cough lasting longer than 4 weeks in children and adolescents should prompt revision of the differential diagnosis to reduce delays in diagnosing serious etiologies. Daniel Moscato, MS, PA-C; Joshua W. Russell, MD Citation: Moscato D, Russell JW. Uncovering the Unexpected: A Case of Chronic Cough in an Adolescent with an Unusual Etiology. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(4)23-26. Key words: Pediatrics, …

Managing Health Data Obsessive Disorder Presentation in Urgent Care

In a prior editorial, I described the case of Thomas, a young man among the “worried-well,” who presented to urgent care (UC) with anxiety related to an alarm that sounded as a result of a malfunction of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which was prescribed despite his lack of a diagnosis of diabetes, out of concern for abnormal blood glucose levels.[1] The underlying issue prompting his visit was not hypoglycemia but what I refer to …

‘Health Data Obsessive Disorder’—A Modern Epidemic

“Low blood sugar” was his chief complaint, but Thomas was in my urgent care (UC) mostly because he was feeling anxious. It wasn’t hypoglycemia that was making him nervous either. Thomas didn’t have diabetes or take any medication for high blood sugar. Regardless, he was wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), which he lifted his shirt to show me when I entered the room. Thomas explained his primary care physician (PCP) had prescribed the device …

Emesis Ad Nauseum: A Case Report of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Urgent Care

Urgent message: Frequent cannabis use can lead to a syndrome characterized by severe and cyclical vomiting without other clear triggers. Termed “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome,” this disorder is often refractory to conventional antiemetic pharmacotherapy. Citation: Ramos J, Russell J. Emesis Ad Nauseum: A Case Report of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Urgent Care. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 18 (11): 13-18 John Ramos, MMS, PA-C, CAQ-EM, Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FACEP, FCUCM Abstract Introduction: Cannabinoid hyperemesis …

Why Specialty Recognition Matters More Than Ever for Urgent Care

Commuting in Jakarta can be a nightmare. The average citizen in Indonesia’s capital city spends weeks stuck in urban transit each year. Compare this with Singapore, which is consistently rated one of the best cities in the world for commuters. The difference between the day-to-day experience of residents of each city is stark. The root cause of why these two metropolises of southeast Asia have such disparate commuter experiences lies in the contrast of how …

Our Success in Urgent Care is Defined by How We Play Our ‘Greatest Hits’

Recently one evening, I meandered into a bar on iconic 6th Street in Austin, Texas— America’s epicenter for live music. Venues throughout the district feature free, live performances every night from some of the nation’s most talented musicians. On that particular evening, however, the sounds from one electric guitar coming from a small stage in a dark room cut through the humid air and grabbed my attention. I wandered in, found a seat at the …

‘What Happens If We Do Nothing?’ Is Still the Right Question

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FACEP, FCUCM “It only hurts right here,” Rich told me, pointing to a tender spot on his ribs under near his arm pit. I palpated his chest wall and observed as he winced when I hit the spot. “I just need to make sure I’m okay to go back to work.” Rich was middle-aged and had a mustache with hints of grey. He was a large man, but his potbelly was …

Broader Issues Surround ‘Work Note Seeking’

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP Who among us has worked a single urgent care (UC) shift without at least one patient making a humble request for a sick note to take back to work? “Can I have a work note?” It’s a simple ask. In fact, apart from medication refills, work note visits rank among the most welcomed presentations for many overworked clinicians, offering a much-needed mental reprieve and a chance to finally catch up …

What Happens If We Do Nothing?

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP In its most modern form, medicine revolves around action. We are trained as clinicians to assess, diagnose, and intervene, but it’s the intervention part that patients expect most. This is especially true in urgent care (UC), where patients usually present in anticipation of some swift action for whatever is bothering them. I recently saw a healthy, middle-aged man in our clinic who was complaining of some mild chest pain. …

Analogy: A Powerful and Underutilized Bedside Tool

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP Click Here to download the article PDF Sophie was back with another one of her kids in tow. This was the fifth time in a month. I could almost hear my staff roll their eyes when she walked through the door. Even though she was a denizen of the clinic, I was about to meet her for the first time because I usually covered other sites. Although I was …

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