Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Teladoc The Latest Virtual Provider to Partner With Amazon

Amazon customers will now be prompted to sign up for Teladoc’s chronic care offerings thanks to a new partnership announced this week between the 2 organizations. Teladoc already has 1 million program participants, and the connection to Amazon will only boost its visibility and market presence. Anyone managing diabetes, hypertension, prediabetes and weight loss can now enroll in virtual care directly through Amazon’s Health Benefits Connector. Just like its agreement with Hinge Health, Talkspace, and …

Mercy Acquires 10 Urgent Cares in Ohio and Michigan

Mercy Health in northern Ohio has announced plans to expand its network of urgent care centers in the region, according to the Toledo Blade. As part of this expansion, the health system has acquired 10 urgent care centers from privately owned Greater Midwest Urgent Cares. Eight centers are located in Ohio and 2 in southeast Michigan. Officials stated that Mercy aims to invest in new tech infrastructure and medical equipment, and exterior signage will also …

New Mobile Urgent Care Launches in Louisiana

A new at-home urgent care (UC) provider, Urgent Care On The Go, launched in late December 2024 in half a dozen cities in southern Louisiana, offering mobile urgent care as well as a brick-and-mortar wellness center in Opelousas, Louisiana. For a single fee of $199 per visit, members can access treatment for acute illnesses and injuries as well as lab tests and other services. Some services, such as IV infusions for medically diagnosed conditions, are …

Ardent Health Buys 18 NextCare Locations

Ardent Health, which operates 30 acute care hospitals in 6 states, last week acquired 18 urgent care clinics from NextCare Urgent Care. NextCare is in the Enhanced Healthcare Partners investment portfolio and up until now included approximately 170 clinic locations, according to a 2024 JUCM analysis. The transaction includes 6 urgent care clinics in New Mexico, which will operate as part of Lovelace Health System, as well as 12 clinics in Oklahoma that will become …

Racial Bias May Influence Identification of Potential Child Abuse

Most healthcare workers use vigilance when treating children with injuries that could signal a potential case of child abuse, but bias can influence perception. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, Black children hospitalized for traumatic injuries are more likely to be suspected of having experienced possible child abuse than White children. When examining data for 634,309 pediatric patients, researchers demonstrated 75% greater odds of suspicion for child abuse for Black patients and …

Lawsuit Against One Medical Claims Poor Care Led to Patient’s Death

One Medical, under the Amazon umbrella since February 2023, is now facing a lawsuit related to the death of a patient who was treated virtually by a One Medical provider. The 45-year-old patient complained of shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and feet turning blue, according to reporting in the Washington Post. He was prescribed an inhaler during the virtual appointment and later died waiting to be seen at a local hospital emergency department in …

CVS Accelerates Pace of MinuteClinic Closures

Looking comprehensively at the ongoing announcements from CVS, it becomes clear that the healthcare giant is recasting its retail pharmacy and in-store clinic strategy. With the recent announcement that CVS is shutting down all of its MinuteClinics in Utah this month, the company’s clinic closures are rapidly adding up—with more closures expected by February 2025. In terms of retail operations overall, CVS pledged to whittle away approximately 300 store locations per year, adding up to …

Amazon Adds Hinge Health to its Digital Care Offerings

Amazon has added digital musculoskeletal care company Hinge Health to its care platform. According to a press release, when the online retailer’s customers search for products related to back, joint, or muscle pain, they will encounter Hinge Health programs and have an option to check their insurance eligibility for participation. The program includes an artificial intelligence delivery model and wearable devices with clinical care support. This is the 4th partner program for Amazon, adding to …

Marketplaces Signing Up New Members During Open Enrollment

Almost half a million Americans who currently do not have health insurance have signed up for a new 2025 health plan through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace so far, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports. To put the numbers in context, about 8.2% of Americans (27 million people) were uninsured this year, compared to 16% in 2010, according to federal data. And there are still a few weeks left in open enrollment. The …

Intimate Partner Violence Screenings Gain Traction

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently posted an “in progress” recommendation statement for clinicians to screen for intimate partner violence and caregiver abuse in primary care settings. The proposed statement is open for public comment until November 25, 2024. The USPSTF suggests that clinicians screen pregnant and postpartum women as well as women of reproductive age for signs of intimate partner violence. However, it determined that there is insufficient evidence to recommend either …

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