Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Baby Sleep Monitors Have Little Evidence of Effectiveness

In the past few years, parents have been attracted to at-home devices to monitor their infant’s vital signs during sleep, which are meant to offer reassurance by providing parents with continuous real-time data. Infant devices might measure, for example, respiratory rate, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation, and sleep quality. Beyond just crib cameras, some options include wearable socks, belts, and swaddles. There is virtually no guidance for providers on advising families about the devices or …

Walgreens Set To Sell Off CityMD Urgent Care

After nearly 100 years as a publicly traded company, Walgreens is going private as part and parcel of a $10 billion buyout deal with private-equity firm Sycamore Partners. The company is on-task to sell Village Medical, Summit Health and CityMD clinic brands, all of which are operated under the VillageMD line of business. Many saw this massive leveraged buyout coming, although the on-again, off-again speculation hinted at prolonged negotiations. For the moment, there is no …

Telehealth Providers Face Ever Stronger Headwinds

Industry observers are closely watching for fresh fallout among telehealth providers. For one, the declared end of the semaglutide drug shortage—as per the Food and Drug Administration—sent the stock of Hims & Hers Health, Inc. sliding about 40% within just a few days as investors realized the profits coming from compounding semaglutide for the telehealth company’s patients will quickly dwindle as providers must shift back to the manufacturer’s original brand drug products for weight management …

Emory Health Connects to CVS MinuteClinics in Georgia

Emory Healthcare Network has partnered with MinuteClinic at its 35 locations in Georgia. While the partnership seems to be focused on in-network health benefit coverage for members of the clinically integrated network’s insurance plan, according to the press release, the clinical teams in the MinuteClinic centers will also have access to communication and consultation with Emory clinicians through electronic medical record platforms. Undoubtedly the payoff will be a steady referral stream for Emory. New signage …

CareFirst Acquires Rapid Relief Urgent Care in Kentucky

CareFirst Urgent Care has added 3 locations in Kentucky to its network through the acquisition of Rapid Relief Urgent Care. Updated signage, technology system transitions, and other improvements are planned, according to a company press release. Also with operations in Ohio and Nevada, CareFirst now expands its existing footprint to more than 40 locations. In Nevada, the company has a new center soon to open in the city of Henderson, but its largest market area …

Urgent Care Rises to Improve Rural Access to Care

Longstanding financial and logistical challenges seem to be intensifying for rural-area providers, as evidenced by new data from consulting firm Chartis, which highlights that 46% of rural hospitals currently have negative operating margins and many of those are in danger of closing. In the past year, 18 rural hospitals closed or transitioned to provide only outpatient care. Of the 48 states that are home to rural hospitals, 38 have at least one hospital that is …

Mobile Urgent Care Aims to Relieve ED Utilization

The Louisiana Medicaid program has created an emergency department (ED) utilization-reduction pilot that will run for the next 6 months, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The program will identify ED “super-utilizers” in an effort to better align their access points with their health needs as appropriate. Acadian Health, a home-health provider, will deliver care to patients at home with urgent care mobile units, reimbursed by 6 local Medicaid managed care organizations—specifically encompassing 5 …

Exemplar Care Acquisition Furthers Hy-Vee Foothold in Healthcare

Grocery chain Hy-Vee has become a joint owner of Exemplar Care, and the business line is now rebranded as Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care, according to a press release. Existing centers will be renamed to Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care, offering direct primary care and 24/7 urgent care where available. The model is targeted to employer groups who provide their employees prepaid access to unlimited primary and urgent care through memberships. There are 4 existing clinics in …

Hospital UC Deals Point to Shifting Market Dynamics

Hospitals and health systems are increasingly acquiring urgent care (UC) centers to further their brand presence in select markets and draw patients from UC into the systems’ many other service offerings. New competition from retail clinics and ongoing financial issues seem to be the motivators behind the deals, according to an analysis in Becker’s. A number of recent acquisitions are highlighted, including, for example, Community Health Systems’ purchase of 10 Carbon Health urgent care centers …

Unproven Lyme Disease Treatments Pose Potentially Dangerous Appeal to Patients

Many states with a high prevalence of Lyme disease are home to non-traditional clinics that often provide unproven treatments, potentially creating significant health and safety risks. Researchers examined treatments offered on the websites of 117 independent clinics across 14 high-prevalence states between February 2024 and April 2024, finding that less than half (53 clinics) had an MD or DO physician on staff, as published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Approximately 20% employed a naturopathic doctor, …

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