Practice Management
Peter Lamelas, MD, MBA, one of urgent care’s industry leaders, has been appointed by President Elect Trump as the US Ambassador to Argentina. As the founder of MD Now Urgent Care, the Cuban-born physician and entrepreneur grew the brand to 59 centers, which were acquired in 2022 by HCA Healthcare. Certified in emergency medicine with more than 20 years of experience, Lamelas was also a founding member of the Urgent Care Association (UCA) and joined …
Read More
Earlier this week, several media outlets reported that Walgreens is in negotiation discussions for a potential sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. With Walgreens’ debt and flagging in-store clinics, a major overhaul seems likely regardless. A few weeks ago, the retail pharmacy giant said it would be closing 1,200 locations over the next few years after reporting a $3 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2024. A deal with Sycamore Partners would take …
Read More
New first aid guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross published in Circulation expand the scope of emergency care conditions addressed and provide greater specificity for first aid action steps. It is the first major update since 2010. Key topics that are new, substantially revised, or have significantly updated literature include: opioid overdose; bleeding control; open chest wounds; spinal motion restriction; hypothermia and frostbite; presyncope; anaphylaxis, snakebite; oxygen administration; and …
Read More
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s insurance division, was shot and killed outside of a hotel in New York City on December 4, according to news reports. The 50-year-old Thompson has worked for the company for 20 years and was promoted to the chief executive position in 2021. UnitedHealth Group leadership canceled the day’s scheduled investor event immediately after the incident. He was described as an “extraordinary person” in a video sent to employees. Thompson was …
Read More
The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency has now contracted with a supplier to purchase more than 5 million doses of human H5N1 avian flu vaccine to prepare the country should an avian flu pandemic occur. The virus has been causing a prolonged global outbreak with new cases emerging in humans recently—although the risk still remains quite low. Poultry and dairy cattle are the most likely animals to experience outbreaks of the virus, and thousands of …
Read More
CEO Tim Barry, the founder and top executive of VillageMD, is stepping down from his role as the company faces significant financial difficulties. Majority owner Walgreens Boots Alliance has reported substantial losses amounting to billions of dollars, according to Forbes. VillageMD has struggled for more than a decade to attract patients to its clinics located within Walgreens retail stores. This has led to a sharp reduction in its intended expansion plans to stand up clinics …
Read More
President-elect Trump has announced his intended appointment of Janette Nesheiwat, MD, to be the next surgeon general, according to NPR. She is currently a medical director for CityMD and has contributed to Fox News. With a specialization in emergency and family medicine, she is known for supporting vaccine efforts with an emphasis on the balance of risk and benefit. CityMD merged with Summit Health and was ultimately acquired by VillageMD in early 2023 for $8.9 …
Read More
In the week ending November 9, 2024, 30%-40% of adults had received 2 of the most recommended vaccines, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 34.7% of adults reported having received a seasonal influenza vaccine, and 39.7% of adults age 75 and older have received a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. Likewise, 31.6% of adults aged 60–74 years at increased risk have received an RSV vaccine. …
Read More
At least 60% of Americans say they will probably not get an updated COVID-19 vaccine for this flu season, according to the Pew Research Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, yet only 15% of those surveyed in October said they had received a COVID vaccine. Another 24% say they probably will get an updated vaccine. While the center reports partisan differences, there are also noteworthy …
Read More
The H5N1 bird flu virus that recently infected a teenager in British Columbia is apparently a mutated virus strain, increasing its ability to infect humans, according to STAT News. The teen, hospitalized on November 8, was reported to be in critical condition this week. No evidence suggests the virus has spread to others, meaning this mutated strain could die out once the teen recovers. Virologists believe the mutation likely developed during the teen’s illness, though …
Read More