Practice Management
Urgent message: The patient had two recent bee stings. Did they cause his problem or were they red herrings? PAUL BURES, DO, and LEE A. RESNICK, MD Introduction Hot, swollen, tender joints are a common initial complaint in the urgent care setting. Depending on the patient’s HPI and PMH, a definitive diagnosis can often be concluded. A systematic evaluation of infectious, inflammatory, and traumatic causes can help narrow the differential. Judicious use of the laboratory …
Read MoreBack in 2008, while the Obama administration was first evaluating healthcare reform, Peter Orszag, then the director of the Congressional Budget Office, estimated that 5% of the nation’s gross domestic product, or $700 billion per year, goes to medical tests and procedures that have no proven positive impact on outcomes. Unaccounted for in this estimate are the billions more spent managing the often lifelong complications inherited from inappropriate tests and unproven procedures. MRIs that identify …
Read MoreAs a young discipline and industry, urgent care relies heavily on its organizational leaders to advance the political, academic, and developmental agendas that are in the best interest of their constituents. These leaders represent the face and voice of their members on the national stage. Needless to say, we cannot become dependent on the work and vision of a few to dictate the direction and activity of the whole. Member engagement and participation are paramount …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP As a young discipline and industry, urgent care relies heavily on its organizational leaders to advance the political, academic, and developmental agendas that are in the best interest of their constituents. These leaders represent the face and voice of their members on the national stage. Needless to say, we cannot become dependent on the work and vision of a few to dictate the direction and activity of the whole. Member …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP With all the renewed talk of tax hikes on the “rich” to pay for everything from healthcare to job creation, I can’t help but see the with anger over how we define rich in this country. The top tax rate targets incomes of $150,000-$200,000. This despite a rapidly growing “ultrarich” class that consists of earners between $1 million and untold billions. Now millionaires and billionaires pay less as a percentage …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP With the announcement of the Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine (BCUCM), an American Board of Physician Specialists (ABPS) member board, the urgent care community is abuzz about its meaning, value, and importance for specialty recognition of the discipline and professional identity for its physician practitioners. Some believe the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the only body with the authority to anoint specialty certification and provide board …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP An E. coli outbreak, believed to have originated from a crop of bean sprouts in Northern Germany, has killed at least 36 people across Europe. Watching the public health “crisis” unfold, I can’t help but think of the 1993 comedy “Groundhog Day.” Phil Connors (Bill Murray), an egotistical meteorologist from Pittsburgh tasked with covering the annual Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, finds himself caught in a time warp in which …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP JUCM, The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine, is approaching its fifth year of publication (a feat not without reason for celebration). In an environment of tremendous financial pressures, increasing scrutiny, and decreasing ad revenues, medical publishing is confronting significant challenges. JUCMis not immune. Most casual readers remain unaware of the challenges behind the scenes. It is, perhaps, no concern of theirs. But that does not mean the efforts should go …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP “Single?” “Married”? Or, “It’s complicated?” In an era of revealing your relationship status to millions of strangers, we have grown accustomed to people sharing “TMI” about themselves. How might this affect the doctor-patient relationship of a new generation? Are younger patients more likely to share important information with their physicians, where older generations are less forthcoming? Is there a silver lining to this comfort with exposing one’s personal information for …
Read MoreLee A. Resnick, MD, FAAFP Spring is here. It’s time to shake off the cobwebs of winter and take a fresh look toward the future. With clear eyes, and a little more daylight, our focus is more acute, and our visionary juices start flowing. The Urgent Care Association has always been a forward-thinking organization, trying to be a step ahead in a dynamic healthcare arena. Over the last seven years, UCA membership has grown sharply, …
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