Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

As the Pandemic Rages on, Watch for Signs of ‘Moral Injury’ Among the Staff

When the COVID-19 pandemic really started picking up steam in the U.S. last spring, the threat to healthcare workers’ emotional wellbeing was seen as being related to the rapid rise in cases and how quickly hospital systems became overloaded; on the urgent care front, there was some of that in urban areas but in other locales there was worry over job security as patient visits dropped. Now, however, the length of time we’ve all been …

Follow-Up: You May Have to Motivate Staff Who Decline the COVID-19 Vaccine

We warned you last week that trying to force hesitant staff members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine could be both ineffective and legally risky. That doesn’t mean you shouldn stop encouraging them to get the shot, however; after all, it’s for their own protection as well as that of their co-workers and patients. According to an article in The New York Times, some healthcare employers are offering cash, extra time off, and goods such as …

Remind Patients: COVID-19 Survivors Can Have Severe Lung Damage After Recovery

Even with a U.S. death toll in the hundreds of thousands, some people remain skeptical of vaccines, the value of social distancing, and the overall dangers of COVID-19. The CBS affiliate in Dallas ran a story recently that might make a dent, however. It quotes a trauma surgeon and assistant professor at Texas Tech University as saying that survivors are likely to have some degree of lung damage after recovering—with their x-rays sometimes worse than …

Be Prepared: Male Genitalia Injuries Are Among the ‘Collateral Damage’ Attributed to the Pandemic

Many “side effects” of the COVID-19 pandemic could have been anticipated due to the nature of the infection—eg, exacerbation of existing lung problems—or social distancing measures, such as an increase in depression and anxiety. Then again, others are likely unforeseen. The Canadian Urological Association Journal published an article detailing an increase in male genitalia injuries coinciding with a spike in COVID-19 cases. While there was no solid conclusion as to why this occurred, the authors …

Recent Hacks and Charges of Censorship Should Be a Wake-Up Call to Check Your Online Security

As 2020 was winding down, we all became aware of a widespread and highly alarming hack that has since been attributed to operators in Russia. While it does not appear to have been targeted at healthcare organizations, the fact that it happened at all should be a reminder of the potential risks you face with proprietary information, access to financial accounts, and HIPAA-protected patient information. Then there’s the whole issue of online censorship that has …

What One Early Adopter Has Learned About Telehealth—and How It Could Help You as the Pandemic Stretches On

Regular readers of JUCM and JUCM News know that telehealth seems ideally suited for urgent care, but that relatively few operators have seen great success with it—or even tried it at all. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced some to give it another look, however, as many patients were hesitant to leave the house for relatively minor healthcare complaints early on. If you’re still on the fence, it might be helpful to know what Intermountain Healthcare …

Be Alert: Flu and COVID-19 Can Kill—But So Can This Other Source for Respiratory Complaints

It’s flu season. Usually that’s reason enough to take patients seriously when they present with certain respiratory complaints. These days, influenza is overshadowed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, of course—and with good reason, as it looks like it’s now the number-one killer of Americans. However, if you assume those are the only two respiratory issues to be concerned with, you’re doing your patients a disservice that could prove deadly. According to a new study published online …

After Early Reports of Reactions, the CDC Updates Contraindications for the COVID-19 Vaccine

Following advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to who should or should not get the COVID-19 vaccine has been something of a challenge, as the agency has waffled considerably since the first versions were approved for use in the United States weeks ago. They’re simply following the evidence, of course, which paints an evolving picture as more Americans get the shot. Most recently, the CDC officially updated its interim guidance on …

Scentless, but not Senseless—Opt for Testing When Patients Complain About Lack of Smell

Evidence that alterations in a patient’s senses of smell and taste were common in COVID-19 infection was abundant at the outset of the pandemic. It was also completely anecdotal, and sometimes refuted in early studies. Now that more cases have amassed and more in-depth research completed, however, it seems clear that such alterations are, in fact, strong (but not universal) indicators that a patient has been infected with the virus. JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & …

Behavioral Health and Urgent Care Seem a Natural Fit—Could the ‘Right Time’ Finally Be Here?

We’ve read a lot lately about the prospect of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic raising incidence of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other behavioral concerns in the general public. Looking back farther, you may recall a handful of urgent care operators trying to develop a line of behavioral services in their communities. Could the current public health crisis serve as a conduit to finally get such initiatives off the ground? Freeman Health System …