Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

The Effect of PECARN Guidelines on Minor Head Injury Referrals from the Urgent Care Center to the Emergency Room

Cathleen DeLaney DNP, MSN-FNP, APRN and Kris Skalsky MSNEd, EdD, RN Abstract Background and Purpose: The focus of this project was to determine if an evidence-based educational intervention had an impact on reducing the number of pediatric head injury referrals from the urgent care center to the emergency room. The urgent care center often makes referrals of pediatric head injury patients to the ED, contributing to the overutilization and overcrowding of an already taxed system. …

Nurse-Only Visits in Urgent Care: An Analysis of Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction Relative to Traditional Care

Urgent message: As shown in an in-house study by one urgent care operator, protocol-driven, nurse-only care of specific presenting complaints may be one way to help curb healthcare spending while not compromising on quality of care or threatening patient-satisfaction scores. Kyle Coon and Brett Whyte, MD Abstract Basic healthcare costs are rising at a staggering and, it’s widely considered, unsustainable rate. As a result, lower-cost alternatives that maintain quality and satisfaction are being explored across …

Quality Improvement Report: Elevated Blood Pressure Referrals in an Urgent Care Setting to Increase Follow-Up Appointments with Primary-Care Providers

Urgent message: Urgent care providers are valued for their ability to treat nonemergent acute healthcare needs efficiently, but in so doing they are also well positioned to identify other, underlying healthcare issues such as hypertension. Introduction Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for approximately 24% of all deaths.1 Many known risk factors are associated with heart disease, including high blood pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and …

A Multimodal Intervention to Reduce Antibiotic Use for Common Upper Respiratory Infections in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are the most common presenting complaint in urgent care. Regardless of etiology or provider specialty, antibiotics are prescribed 60% of the time for the treatment of URIs, contributing to drug-resistant respiratory organisms. Employing a multimodal intervention, the authors we were able to appreciate a modest, statistically significant decrease in the rate of antibiotic prescribing among urgent care providers. Introduction Antimicrobial resistance is arguably one of the greatest risks to …

Original Research: HIV Screening in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Increasingly, Americans do not know their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus. Implementing rapid HIV testing can allow your center to play a key role in identifying new cases of HIV and linking patients to care. Abstract Background: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that an increasing number of Americans do not know their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus. The CDC recommends routine screening for all patients 13 to …

Original Research: Early Diabetes Screening in the Urgent Care, Part 2

Urgent message: Various methods have been suggested for screening for type 2 diabetes mellitus in the asymptomatic population, although more consensus about the best approach, especially in settings outside primary care, is required. The usefulness of a diabetes-screening pathway for the early detection of undiagnosed diabetes was assessed in a quality-improvement study of a convenience sample from an urgent care center. How this article/column helps you: by analyzing findings on how screening all adults for …

Original Research: Early Diabetes Screening in the Urgent Care, Part 1

Urgent message: Undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus affects more than 9 million Americans. This first part of a two-part article focuses on evaluation of diabetes screening for the adult urgent care patient in whom diabetes has not been diagnosed, using effective early disease-detection strategies to reduce the long-term burden of diabetes. How this article helps you: by providing data to assist you in deciding about screening in your center. Introduction There are now more than …

Delayed Prescribing of Antibiotics for Respiratory Tract Infections

Urgent message: Respiratory tract infections are a common complaint in the urgent care setting. Many patients present with the expectation of receiving antibiotics because they have usually done so. The rise of anti biotic-resistant infections requires that we take a close look at our prescribing habits and the need to reeducate patients on the harm of overusing antibiotics. Delayed prescribing offers a way to both satisfy patients and reduce the use of antibiotics in respiratory …