Practice Management
Amazon recently made headlines by offering One Medical 24/7 on-demand virtual care access and limited brick-and-mortar office access for Prime members for a rock-bottom price of just $9 a month. After investing $3.9 billion in the concierge platform for primary care, Amazon has yet to gain the traction it needs to realize a return, many observers believe. While urgent care operators are absorbing the chatter around Amazon and likely struggle to process the real-world threat …
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A high-level view of the urgent care landscape in the New York Times last week cited not only the urgent care market’s growth but also its benefits. The news item calls out the 60% increase in patient visits from 2019 to 2020 as well as the impressive revenue projections for this year—estimated at $48 billion. CityMD’s chief medical officer explains in the interview with NYT how patients seeking services at an urgent care center can be …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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, …
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