Advocacy organizations recently launched a campaign promoting an “Obesity Bill of Rights.” The declaration speaks to the rights of individuals with obesity to be treated respectfully and to receive patient-centered, high-quality healthcare. For example, the advocacy groups call for the right to accessible obesity treatment that allows for privacy and uses equipment that fits patients’ bodies. That could translate to blood pressure cuffs of an appropriate size, larger gowns and drapes, or even larger chairs …
Read MoreDramatic Rise in Syphilis Cases Contribute to Penicillin Shortage
Syphilis rates increased by nearly 80% between 2018 and 2022, and what’s making matters worse is the ongoing shortage of injectable penicillin, the go-to treatment for patients with syphilis. Public health agencies now are recommending providers ration the drug, according to Kaiser Health News. Pregnant patients should be prioritized first because penicillin is considered the safest treatment for the population. Doxycycline would be an appropriate drug for syphilis cases, but it’s discouraged for pregnant moms …
Read MoreCVS Closing 25 Clinics in Los Angeles
CVS revealed in a statement on January 30 that it will close 25 of its retail-store-based MinuteClinic locations in Greater Los Angeles in February, leaving just 11 rooftops in the area. The company said the closures will “help support future growth and design the next evolution of community health destinations,” according to reports from the LA Times and Orange County Register. Affected employees who do not find a new position within the company reportedly will …
Read MoreDevice Aims to Improve Dermatology Referrals
The Food And Drug Administration recently approved a device that provides non-invasive skin cancer screening at the point of care, according to Reuters. DermaSensor, a privately held company, says its spectroscopy technology can use light and artificial intelligence to evaluate cellular and subcellular characteristics to assist clinicians in identifying the presence of skin cancer in suspicious moles or lesions. A study by the Mayo Clinic of more than 1,000 patients showed that the device had …
Read MoreCDC: More Kids Visited Urgent Care in 2022
More parents are bringing their kids to urgent care, according to new national trend data captured in a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The percentage of children and adolescents (17 years old and younger) who had at least 1 visit to an urgent care center or a retail clinic in the past 12 months increased from 21.6% in 2021 to 28.4% in 2022. When CDC broke down the data into …
Read MoreHackensack Integrates UC, Behavioral Health
In New Jersey, Hackensack Meridian Health is now offering its HMH Urgent Care, which integrates behavioral health with same-day urgent care and telemedicine visits. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, it’s the first urgent care that simultaneously provides both immediate medical care and services for psychiatric conditions as part of a strategy to reduce emergency department visits. The HMH Urgent Care suite includes short-term outpatient care for those 16 years and older to address anxiety, depression, mood …
Read MoreDrug Company Launches DTC Model for Weight Loss Prescriptions
Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly just launched its own telehealth website where patients can access physician appointments and the prescription drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) for weight loss. The new LillyDirect platform also offers free home-delivery service, but it will not provide discounts on tirzepatide. As described in a news story in People, Mounjaro is approved to treat type 2 diabetes, and Zepbound is approved to treat obesity, each with a list price of more than $1,000 for a …
Read MoreNo Matter What You Call Them, PAs Are Growing in Number
The term “physician associate” seems to have cyclical comebacks, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. The American Academy of Physician Assistants changed its name in 2021 to the American Academy of Physician Associates and today simultaneously uses the acronym “PA” with both physician associate and physician assistant titles. However, the academy has changed its name before, reflecting membership and industry roles. The majority of urgent care visits—some 85%, according to Experity data—are delivered by either PAs …
Read MoreNo Deal For WellNow and Excellus
WellNow urgent care and health insurer Excellus BlueCross BlueShield were not able to reach an agreement on network status prior to the ultimate expiration of the 2023 contract year, according to a news report on Syracuse.com. Both companies say they’ve engaged in good-faith discussions in an attempt to continue the contract for 2024, and Excellus reportedly offered an increase in reimbursement during negotiations. WellNow is the sole storefront provider of urgent care in central New …
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