Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Visioning for the Future of Urgent Care

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP The Urgent Care Association’s spring convention in New Orleans, April 28–May 2 culminated an incredible year for our association. The convention was attended by 660 urgent care practitioners and administrators, and represented an incredible show of strength for our industry, the discipline of urgent care medicine, and UCA. As witnessed by those of you who have attended many of our recent conventions, UCA has achieved remarkable growth in only four …

Rekindling the Doctor-Patient Relationship

Lee A Resnick, MD, FAAFP The joy of practice is two-fold: Intellectual and Relational. The intellectual side of us thrives on the challenge of complex medical decision making and computational fact-finding. Understanding and applying pathophysiology is what we trained for, and what most of us consider to be a joyful brain exercise. However, since we do not practice medicine in a vacuum, the relational side of patient care is equally important to job satisfaction. It …

Notes From the Field

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP I write to you from the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand, where I just participated in the first-ever international conference for urgent care. Representatives from all over the world joined to share ideas and experiences of their journeys into the development of urgent care as a discipline and an industry. This international dialogue broadens our understanding of the clinical and market forces driving this global phenomenon, and strengthens our individual …

Strength in Numbers

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP It’s springtime again, and for us Northerners, that is a welcome sign. It’s time to end months of hibernation holed up in our overly heated homes. It’s time to break out of our winter routine of work, eat, and sleep and welcome in several months of energizing warmth and rejuvenated spirit. At UCA, we use this time of year to re-energize the membership, welcome in new members, and set the …

A Field Guide to Evaluating Medical Literature

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Urgent care medicine is a rapidly evolving discipline. Out of this evolutionary process, scientific skepticism is naturally born. It is the checks and balances of medicine, ensuring that what is purported to be true, is in fact based on evidence, not speculation. We welcome this inquiry and support the process necessary to lend legitimacy to what has been mere estimation and speculation, thus far, in the development of our discipline. …

Quantifying Urgent Care, Defining Our Industry

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Have you ever wondered how many urgent care centers there are in the U.S.? So did UCA. Partnering with researchers at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, UCA has completed the first-ever sampling frame of urgent care centers across the country. Our goal was to produce an objective, scientifically valid assessment of the size of the urgent care industry. Estimates have flown around the industry for years, but until now …

Defining Urgent Care

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP In this issue of JUCM, The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine, we excerpt the landmark report, “No Appointment Needed: The Resurgence of Urgent Care Centers in the United States”. Funded by the California HealthCare Foundation, and authored by Robin M. Weinick, PhD and Renée M. Betancourt, BA, the report represents the first comprehensive look into urgent care practice and the urgent care industry. Everything from business models and staffing to …

Lessons Learned

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Between sticky ribs and spicy BBQ sauce, I mingled with the future generation of doctors at the annual AAFP Residents and Students Conference in Kansas City. I was reminded of several very important things… I am old I didn’t just finish my residency I need to get a “MySpace” account and learn how to “IM.” In addition to my mini-mid-life crisis, my booth was dead. I was sure there would …

It’s the Journey, Not Just ‘The Win’

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Brian Sipe’s “Red Right 88.” John Elway’s “The Drive.” Earnest Byner’s “The Fumble.” Michael Jordan’s “The Shot.” Jose Mesa’s “The Choke.” And now, the Cavs’ and “The Sweep.” You’ve just read an abridged version of the History of Cleveland Sports. For those of you who have no interest in sports, fear not; there’s an analogy in here somewhere. Growing up a Cleveland sports fan has been a roller coaster ride …

UCA: A Vision for the Future

Lee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP The UCA National Conference, held last month in Daytona Beach, FL, was an important milestone in the organizational evolution of UCA: The elections conducted at the meeting marked the second rotation of board seats since our founding in 2004, and the first board election of a new president. It is critical to the success of our organization to have a rotating leadership at the board and officer levels. Our bylaws …