Industry

It’s unlikely a patient would think to tell you this directly, but new research published by the journal Health Affairs shows that in the COVID-19 era physicians and nurses are more trusted for health information than federal, state, and local health agencies. While 37% of 4,208 participants in a telephone survey said they trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide solid information, 54% said they trust physicians “a great deal” while 48% …

You might assume that utilization of telehealth continued what had been steady growth in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’d be mistaken, however. In fact, telehealth claim lines actually plummeted by 76% from 2020 to 2021, according to the FH Healthcare Indicators and FH Medical Price Index 2023 report. At the same time, it goes on to say, urgent care claim lines jumped 14% while ambulatory surgical centers dropped 7% and emergency room …

The evolving shortage of primary care providers is a challenge for urgent care operators in the United States, no doubt, but it is also showing to be the catalyst for additional growth within the industry, if the conclusions of a new study from FAIR Health are to be believed. Conversely, the ongoing success of urgent care may also be making it harder for primary care practices to maintain healthy clinical staffing levels. The report notes …

With increasing rates of depression and anxiety attributed to life changes over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic coinciding with (or perhaps causing) increased delays in seeing mental health professionals, it seems clear new solutions are needed in the behavioral health setting. With the traditional urgent care model now proven as an alternative to both primary care and the emergency room for most complaints, efforts are afoot to establish a new variety of urgent care …

Just a couple of weeks ago, we reported that various hospital systems and municipal governments around the country were imploring patients to visit urgent care centers instead of hospital emergency rooms whenever it’s appropriate due to soaring wait times in EDs. That recommendation seems to have been adopted, as we’re already seeing local media reports of increased volume in UCCs. WTOC in Bryan County, GA, for one, reports that with area EDs being “overwhelmed with …

Montana has joined the growing number of states to consider expanding the authority pharmacists have to make clinical decisions and direct care. As reported by Kaiser Health News, the state’s Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee recommended a bill that would allow pharmacists to generate and supply prescription refills, along with originating prescriptions for medications and devices in certain situations. The bill has gained support on the rationale that, like many areas, Montana is …

If you read the opinion piece implying that urgent care is somehow complicit in the lowering life expectancy in the United States, written by a first-year medical student and published by a medical news service last week, you were probably struck by the flood of misinformation and misguided notions it contained. For example, the author took issue with some urgent care operators’ messaging to their surrounding communities. “UCCs in some cases still market themselves as …

JUCM has succeeded in its commitment to publish at least one piece of original research in each issue over the past couple of years—and we plan to continue—but, in general, studies specific to urgent care continue to be scarce. One challenge is that conducting research can be an expensive proposition. Operators running on thin margins or venture capitalist-type ownership may balk at committing to studies that could benefit the field but not have a financial …