Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

ET3 Program Ends After Low Participation, Clunky Logistics

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that on December 31, 2023, it would end its 5-year pilot of the Emergency Triage, Treat And Transport program known as “ET3.” ET3 enabled ambulance service providers to transport a patient to an alternative destination and/or provide treatment on the scene by paramedics or via telemedicine. CMS is ending the program because of disappointing participation and intervention numbers. According to CMS data, there were 151 total …

Patients Less Likely to Follow Up After Telehealth Visits

Your follow-up recommendation for a patient seen with a telehealth visit is often a diagnostic test or specialty referral. Completion of those follow-up recommendations—“diagnostic loop closure”—seems to be lacking, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. The study involved 4,133 diagnostic tests and referrals (colonoscopies, cardiac stress tests, and dermatology referrals) from March 2020 through December 2021 at 2 primary care sites. Results showed that 58% of in-person visit orders were completed within the …

Statins Reduce Risks for Women Using Hormone Therapy

When physicians prescribe hormone therapy (HT) for perimenopausal women, many warn their patients of the increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, knowing that a large number of patients also take statin medications to prevent cardiovascular issues, it would make sense to study the effect statins may have on the risk of VTE for women using HT. A new study in JAMA Network Open did that very thing and found the risk of VTE was …

Patients More Likely to Stick With Semaglutide Treatment

Patients taking the GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide were 3 times more likely to maintain adherence to their medication regimens a year later when compared to other drug options, according to a Cleveland Clinic study. As described in Obesity, researchers examined health records of 1,911 adults in two states and found 40% of semaglutide patients were still filling their prescriptions 12 months after the initiation of treatment. Patients using other anti-obesity drugs, such as orlistat, liraglutide, …

AI Voice App Helps Optimize Insulin Dosing

When Alexa talks to patients with type 2 diabetes, apparently they listen. A study in JAMA Network Open found patients gained better glycemic control when they engaged with an artificial intelligence (AI) voice app—which was customized by their respective clinicians to help them achieve optimal insulin dosing. App users demonstrated significantly better insulin adherence and glycemic improvement during the 2-month trial. Glycemic control was measured by mean fasting blood glucose, rather than HbA1c. The app …

Staph Bacteria Implicated as the Cause of Itchy Skin

Researchers have uncovered evidence that bacteria can activate nerve cells in the skin and cause the itchy sensation that comes along with several common skin conditions, according to a recent study in Cell. The authors note: “Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterial pathogen associated with itchy skin diseases, directly activates pruriceptor sensory neurons to drive itch.” Their findings could help optimize treatment for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. A summary of the study in Axios also cites …

Respiratory Triple Threat on Upward Trend

As the flu season gains momentum in the United States, a triple threat of viruses—influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—is causing concern. Children under age 5 in particular are heavily impacted, and they made up more than 10% of visits for flu-like illnesses the week before Thanksgiving, according to federal data. Pediatric hospital beds were strained across the nation with about 75% in use. Mandy Cohen, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control …

Stewardship Program Reduces Antibiotic Prescriptions in UC

An antibiotic stewardship intervention at Mayo Clinic lowered unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory infections in outpatient settings, including urgent care centers, according to a new study in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, which posted during Antibiotic Awareness Week. Provider education, data reporting, and a red-flag notification system helped to influence prescribing patterns. The program was implemented at Mayo Clinic facilities in four states in 2020 with a goal to reduce antibiotic use for tier 3 upper respiratory infection …

Anti-seizure Meds Can Lead to Rare Organ Injury

A new FDA warning is being added to prescribing information for the anti-seizure drugs levetiracetam and clobazam because the agency found they can cause a rare but serious hypersensitivity: drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). Diagnosis of DRESS can be difficult because symptoms vary and may be confused with other reactions. DRESS may start as a rash and can include fever and swollen lymph nodes or injury to the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, …

More Kids Show Up in EDs With Behavioral Health Emergencies

A recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that school-age kids from 10 to 17 experience more emergency department (ED) visits during the school year than during summer break for behavioral health conditions such as depressive disorders, suicidal ideation, or self-harm. For some disorders, the visits double during the school year. In communities, the lack of mental health resources for kids in immediate need is clear. One emergency …

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