Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Keeping an Eye on the H5N1 Virus

The H5N1 avian flu virus is spreading in dairy cows across the country, however, the risk of human-to-human transmission is rare. Because the virus is spreading so rapidly, scientists are considering wastewater sampling for surveillance, according to CIDRAP. Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center researchers reported 19 of 23 monitored wastewater sites had at least 1 result of H5N1 detected in wastewater from March 4 to April 25. It’s …

DOJ Launches Healthcare Monopoly Task Force

Last week, the Justice Department developed a new task force focused on healthcare monopolies, which will be tasked with investigating industry market consolidation, workforce issues, quality of care, access, and data management, according to a press release. Department officials are increasingly concerned about consolidation in healthcare. For example, the recent Change Health cyberattack shed new light on the size and reach of UnitedHealth Group and its many arms—including the Optum line of business that is …

Promote Urgent Care Awareness Month With UCA Toolkit

The Urgent Care Association (UCA) is promoting Urgent Care Awareness Month to call attention to the important role urgent care has as a valuable segment in the healthcare ecosystem. Legislators, community leaders, and consumers need to know everything UC contributes, especially the widespread access issues that UC can help resolve. UCA has a collection of Awareness Month resources that any UC organization can use. What’s in the bag? Download a sample news release, 3 choices …

Med Spa Services Require Protocols to Prevent Blood-Borne Pathogen Exposure

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the first time documents incidents of HIV transmission through cosmetic injection services known as “vampire facials,” which are treatments that inject a person’s own blood into their face for cosmetic purposes, such as skin rejuvenation. The services are usually delivered in spa-type environments and involve drawing a client’s blood, separating the plasma and cells, and using disposable or multi use sterile equipment …

Walmart Gives Up on Health Clinics and Virtual Care

In a somewhat surprising move, Walmart announced this week that it will close all 51 of its health centers as well as its telehealth business after a 5 year go at the market. The Walmart Health arm of the retail giant’s strategy was on track to expand beyond its initial 5 states (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas) but has abandoned the model because of a “challenging reimbursement environment,” the company said in a press …

Nurses Protest Use of Artificial Intelligence

Hundreds of nurses in San Francisco voiced their objections to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare during a recent protest, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. For example, some criticized an AI feature within the Epic EHR that determines nurse staffing based on real-time charting. They argued that this method may not accurately or fairly account for their work. Additionally, some nurses raised objections to AI chatbots that interact with patients, which could create …

Challenges Predicted For FTC Noncompete Ban

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule that would ban nearly all noncompete agreements among for-profit employers and a small subset of nonprofits as well. In healthcare, it represents a significant shift in employment and contractual agreements, allowing clinicians to switch jobs and work for rival providers without limitations. Rules are set to take effect in 4 months. The American Medical Association estimates as many as 45% of physicians work under …

Providers Still Not Back to Normal After Change Cyberattack

Two months after the Change Healthcare cyberattack upended payments to a large percentage of the nation’s healthcare providers, organizations say they’re still suffering from the fallout, both financially and logistically, according to Kaiser Health News. Change parent company UnitedHealth Group indicated during a shareholder call on Tuesday, however, that business is largely back to normal, and its chief financial officer said that the company expects full operations to resume next year. The hacking has cost …

Thousands of Kids Getting Into Melatonin Gummies Present to ED

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that 11,000 children and infants presented to emergency departments between 2019 and 2022 after ingesting melatonin. More concerning is that flavored gummy products—which look like candy—were involved in nearly 5,000 of those cases. More than half of accidental ingestions involved children between 3 and 5 years old, according to CDC. Melatonin products do not require child-resistant packaging, but the agency found about three-quarters of the …