Practice Management
Hiring the best providers is only half the battle when it comes to putting together a clinically excellent team that will appeal to prospective patients in your area. This is especially true if you’re the new kid on the block and don’t have years of experience to tell you what those people need. The type of area you occupy—rural vs urban, seasonal ebbs and flows, a high concentration of elderly residents—determines a lot, as well. …
Read MoreAs far back as October, the National Weather Service was predicting a wetter-than-usual winter this year. With Winter Storm Dean bearing down on the Midwest and a snowy mess expected to hit the East Coast, it looks like they might be right. Some regions have already seen a jump in snow- and ice-related injuries. Genesis Health System in the Quad Cities region of Iowa reported seeing 35 patients across four locations in a single day …
Read MoreFor the first time in 35 years, outpatient visits to U.S. hospitals are down—and urgent care is at least partially responsible, according to a new report from the American Hospital Association. The AHA 2020 Hospital Statistics Report, reflecting data from 6,000 hospitals, notes a 1% drop in 2018 compared with 2017, led by reduction in emergency room visits. AHA attributes the historic reduction to patients choosing more convenient and less expensive options, including urgent care …
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Widespread ability of imaging services was a big step forward for the urgent care industry. Patients appreciate it, too—so much so that quicker access to x-rays and the like has become not just an expectation but an attraction for patients weighing their options for immediate care, according to Urgent Care Quarterly, a new industry resource produced by Experity. In An Analysis of the Impact of Radiology in the Urgent Care Industry, UCQ notes that 10.7% …
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Traditional primary care practices may soon start to operate more like urgent care centers. Some won’t, of course, and may face economic consequences if an article recently published in The American Journal of Managed Care is any indication. Specifically, the authors suggest, a consumer-friendly approach more closely associated with retail businesses will be necessary in order to appeal to younger patient groups. The piece cautions senior management against making too many changes too quickly, however, …
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Many patients diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury would benefit from getting back to their normal activities sooner than has been advised previously, according to a new review article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Introducing noncontact, aerobic exercise can even help improve symptoms and shorten time to recovery. However, other patients—those whose “normal activities” could put them at risk for repeat mTBI or who have persistent symptoms—should slow down even further …
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There are 220 children’s hospitals in the United States; many have their own pediatric urgent care facilities. At the same time, as we’ve reported, non hospital-affiliated urgent care operators are popping up everywhere. There’s been little or no overlap, outside of referrals as needed—until PM Pediatrics struck a partnership with WakeMed Children’s to provide urgent care services to younger patients in the Raleigh, NC area. It’s an interesting blend of cultures. Children’s hospital-affiliated urgent care …
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It’s not news that clinicians have precious little time to spend face-to-face with patients—minimizing one of the things that drew them to practice medicine to begin with. Dissatisfaction and burnout can follow. A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that fostering certain habits “may enhance physician presence and meaningful connection with patients,” however. Based on a literature review and interviews with clinicians at an academic medical center, a Veterans …
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It’s a tough flu season out there, which means it’s a tough flu season in every healthcare setting. According to new data from a team of economists, however, many patients find it less so in immediate care settings like urgent care. Researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Princeton University, and Northwestern University found that patients who live close to retail clinics are less likely to seek treatment in the emergency room when they …
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Patients and insurers were quick to sing the praises of telehealth due to its convenience and relatively low cost. Healthcare providers and facilities have continued to be skeptical, however, given the dearth of evidence that it’s a safe way to assess and treat patients while bringing in adequate revenue. While those arguments have scared many urgent care operators away from giving it a try, mounting evidence that telehealth can work might start changing some minds. …
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