Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Primary Care Outfit Aims to Productize Health Services With A.I.

Forward, a primary care provider that touts its foundational belief that “healthcare should be a product, not a service,” has revealed its latest project: self-serve CarePods that rely on apps and artificial intelligence (AI) for health screenings. Resembling the private, closet-like lactation rooms offered at some airports, these AI-based modules are setting up shop in offices, malls, and gyms. With an initial launch in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, Forward’s CarePods require a …

Texas UC Centers Managing Surge in Respiratory Illnesses

Urgent care centers and emergency departments (EDs) in Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper, Texas, are grappling with a sudden surge in RSV, influenza, and COVID-19. According to the medical center’s website, the hospitals are overwhelmed, struggling to accommodate infants with severe RSV cases. Last week, of the more than 800 RSV tests conducted, 29% were positive, while COVID-19 positivity stood at 4%. The medical center’s urgent care centers see about 800 …

Urgent Care Leaders Promote Antibiotic Awareness Week

Antibiotic Awareness Week begins November 18. The Urgent Care Association, the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM), and the Urgent Care Foundation (UCF) are promoting antibiotic stewardship in urgent care medicine by reinforcing best-practice objectives and action points. In May 2022, UCF was awarded a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to further antibiotic stewardship. This inaugural federal award for UCF is now funding UCA and CUCM activities as part of a five-year cooperative agreement that …

Cyberattacks Hit Healthcare The Worst

The federal government is getting more involved in healthcare cybersecurity, and its efforts can’t come soon enough. Last year alone, cyberattacks increased 86%, amounting to an average of 1,410 attacks per organization per week, according to the Journal of AHIMA. A new federal project is designed to discover best-performing technologies used for national security and apply them to healthcare. Six projects led by universities and tech research companies were awarded $50 million by the Department …

Hospitals With Highest ED Volume

While every clinician working in an emergency department (ED) probably feels like their facility is the busiest around, Becker’s Hospital Review recently compiled self-reported data to create a list of hospitals with the highest volume of ED visits in the nation. The Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas took the top spot with 226,178 emergency department visits in 2022, followed by Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Florida at 199,927 visits and Multicare Good Samaritan …

What Amazon is Saying About Urgent Care

In a recent press release announcing its capabilities for treating cold and flu symptoms, Amazon Clinic—the telehealth channel of the Amazon enterprise—took a dig at urgent care. Its chief medical officer said in the release, “When many people feel sick, they end up at urgent care without knowing what they’ll be charged.” The retailer provides upfront pricing on its telehealth services and considers it an advantage for consumers. Those with high deductibles are especially sensitive …

GNC Throws Its Hat Into the Urgent Care Business

Nutritional supplement retailer GNC is yet another consumer-facing outfit expanding its reach into healthcare provider services. Three new GNC membership plans will offer virtual visits for urgent care and primary care, according to a press release. The tiered membership plans start at $34.99 for a full year with no added cost for visits or medication fills from a list of more than 100 prescriptions. The next highest tier costs $9.99 per month and includes more …

Blues Plan Acquires 50 FastMed UCs

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has agreed to acquire more than 50 North Carolina-based locations of FastMed. The pending acquisition is set to close in early 2024, and once the deal is finalized, FastMed would operate independently from the not-for-profit Blue Cross NC. The Blues plan has been a non-controlling minority investor in FastMed since 2012, and it will acquire only FastMed’s North Carolina locations. FastMed also provides telehealth, …

American Family Care Launches Weight Management

American Family Care recently started offering semaglutide injections for weight management at its two suburban facilities located in Willowbrook and Naperville, Illinois, near Chicago. Available since May 2023, the service has enrolled approximately 50 patients who receive weekly injections, according to a Chicago NBC affiliate. American Family Care clinicians screen patients prior to treatment to ensure they meet criteria. Specifically, candidates must exhibit a body mass index (BMI) of 30—which is indicative of obesity—or a …

How Serious is the Nursing Shortage?

In 2022, the American Hospital Association reported a projected shortage of 1.1 million nurses, meanwhile, National Nurses United said that there’s no nursing shortage but rather a lack of nurses willing to work under the current conditions. Experts suggest that both sides have valid points, according to a deep dive by STAT News. Most nurses are emphasizing the need for more staff to provide proper patient care. Yet organizations face rising labor costs as they …