Practice Management
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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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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In a sobering cross-sectional study, researchers found that healthcare workers in emergency departments (EDs) experience workplace violence at a rate of once every 3.7 shifts. Even worse, in the large urban ED study site, 25% of the incidents involved physical violence, as published in JAMA Network Open. The odds of experiencing violence increased for those in a nursing role and workers of a younger age. Those who experienced violence reported they were moderately or severely …
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Novant Health has completed its acquisition of UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc. (UCI), previously owned by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. The deal includes 52 Doctors Care urgent care clinics and 20 Progressive Physical Therapy clinics. UCI also provides nonmedical management and administrative services specifically for urgent care and physical therapy operators. Charlotte-based Novant has 3 hospitals in South Carolina, so the urgent care additions will no doubt offer some new referral source potential. Staying the …
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Urgent care site selection can be tricky business. Once operators have sized up their addressable market, considered the competition, and estimated the available workforce, opening their doors may seem like a cinch. However, local zoning approvals must figure into site selection strategy as well. Last week, city councilors in Celina, Ohio, voted down a rezoning measure, which ultimately prevented Bon Secours Mercy Health from building a 4,200-square-foot urgent care on a former manufacturing site in …
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The American Hospital Association (AHA) and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit collaborated on a new bulletin that offers the first in a series of practical resources to help mitigate violence in healthcare settings. The goal is to promote greater adoption of violence prevention strategies and address the escalating threats and acts of violence against healthcare facilities and workers. As the program moves forward, AHA will provide updated resources for providers to implement threat assessments and …
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What many industry observers suggested is now confirmed: The Change Healthcare cyberattack earlier this year affected personal information of 100 million people, making it the nation’s largest-ever breach of healthcare data. Parent company UnitedHealthcare recently updated the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights confirming the scope of the impact. However, it could be months or years before the department completes its investigation of Change and determines a financial penalty if it …
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