Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Urgent Care Evaluation and Management of Hip Osteoarthritis

Urgent Message: Osteoarthritis of the hip most commonly affects older adults and those with other risk factors including obesity and prior hip injury. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, therefore, the initial priority in urgent care for patients presenting with hip pain involves excluding alternative, time-sensitive etiologies. Alex Dragota, BSME; Matthew Baird, MD; Michael Weinstock, MD Citation: Dragota A, Baird M, Weinstock M. Urgent Care Evaluation and Management of Hip Osteoarthritis. J Urgent Care Med. …

7-Year-Old With Playground Injury

A 7-year-old boy presents to urgent care with his worried mother after he fell off a swing at daycare. He is complaining of right foot pain and can’t walk on the injured foot. Anterior posterior and oblique foot x-rays are ordered. Review the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the following page.

57-Year-Old with Left Foot Pain

A 57-year-old man presents to the urgent care with a 3-day history of left foot pain and swelling after walking barefoot on a wooden deck under construction. He recalls feeling a sharp pain in the affected foot at the time but could not see any foreign object. On examination, he has mild erythema, tenderness, and induration over the plantar surface of the midfoot. There is no visible puncture wound or foreign body present. Plain radiographs …

68-Year-Old With Dyspnea

A 68-year-old female presents to urgent care with dyspnea for 2 days. She has a medical history of heart failure. An ECG is obtained. View the ECG captured above and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.

45-Year-Old With Painful Ankle Lesion

A 45-year-old woman presents to urgent care with a painful area that developed on her right ankle 2 weeks prior. The patient had a family history of venous thromboembolism. On examination, a variegated brown patch with a central pink angulated scar and an overlying thick crust on the lateral ankle was seen. There was also unilateral peripheral leg edema. On laboratory examination, anemia, thrombocytopenia and anticardiolipin antibodies were present. View the image and consider what …

Death After Delayed Diagnosis of Acute Epiglottitis in an Adult Patient Initially Seen in Urgent Care: A Case Report

Urgent Message: Epiglottitis is a potentially fatal condition that has undergone a changing etiology in the post-Hib vaccine landscape. Urgent care providers should be well versed on its presentation to properly triage patients and avoid misdiagnosis. William Bradley, BA Citation: Bradley W. Death After Delayed Diagnosis of Acute Epiglottitis in an Adult Patient Initially Seen in Urgent Care: A Case Report. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(6)31-35. Key words: sore throat, epiglottitis, thumbprint sign Abstract …

Clinical Review of Current Best Practices for Tuberculosis Screening, Testing, and Treatment in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent Message: Patients may present with needs surrounding tuberculosis (TB) screening, testing, and treatment to urgent care centers. There is considerable nuance in the approach to these scenarios with consequences for both patient and public health. Urgent care centers should develop clear guidelines for ensuring clinicians select the appropriate TB test for each patient and interpret the results accurately. Erin Loo, PA-C; Lindsey E. Fish, MD Citation: Loo E, Fish LE. Clinical Review of Current …

Looking Beyond the Mouth–A Rare Case of Acute Glaucoma Presenting with Dental Pain: A Case Report

Urgent Message: Acute angle closure glaucoma can present with a variety of types of head and facial pain. Rapid identification of concern for elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) or confirmation of elevated IOP by tonometry is critical for preserving vision. Mackenzie Brown, MD; Joshua W. Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FCUCM, FACEP; Alexander Branson, MD Citation: Brown M, Russell JW, Branson A. Looking Beyond the Mouth–A Rare Case of Acute Glaucoma Presenting with Dental Pain: A Case …

16-Year-Old With Hip Pain

A 16-year-old female presents to urgent care with her mother after soccer practice at school. She says she felt a “pop” in her left hip, immediately followed by posterior hip pain. Walking makes it worse, but resting makes the pain better. An x-ray is ordered. Review the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the following page.

74-Year-Old With Lightheadedness

A 74-year-old woman presents to urgent care with epistaxis, controlled on arrival. She is also complaining of lightheadedness and fatigue that’s been going on for the past 2 weeks. View the ECG captured above and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.