Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

CVS Accelerates Pace of MinuteClinic Closures

Looking comprehensively at the ongoing announcements from CVS, it becomes clear that the healthcare giant is recasting its retail pharmacy and in-store clinic strategy. With the recent announcement that CVS is shutting down all of its MinuteClinics in Utah this month, the company’s clinic closures are rapidly adding up—with more closures expected by February 2025. In terms of retail operations overall, CVS pledged to whittle away approximately 300 store locations per year, adding up to …

Could the Obesity Trend Be Diminishing?

In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to a new research letter describing body mass index (BMI) data from 2013 to 2023 in JAMA Health Forum. In spite of conflicting trends forecasting increasing obesity rates (ie, BMI equal to or greater than 30) over the next decade, researchers found the mean population BMI rose annually from 2013 to 2021, then plateaued in 2022 at 46%, followed by …

Private Equity Courting Walgreens For Acquisition

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 …

New HPV Strategy Includes Self-Collection Screening Tests

A new draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests that testing for human papilloma viruses (HPV) every 5 years starting at age 30 is a preferred screening strategy, emphasizing the need for testing for high-risk HPV with vaginal samples as opposed to the traditional cervical cytology pap tests. The USPSTF notes that the HPV test is more effective than a pap test as a cervical cancer screening tool for ages 30 …

AI Tool Correctly Detects Epileptic Syndrome in Infants By Watching Videos

An artificial intelligence (AI) model accurately detected infantile epileptic spasm syndrome through the assessment of smartphone videos captured by families, according to a study published in a medRxiv preprint that has not been peer reviewed. Among the results, the AI model had 82% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The infantile epileptic spasm syndrome diagnosis is considered a neurologic emergency, according to MedPage Today, and experts believe the AI platform has potential as a screening tool. Infants …

Amazon Adds Hinge Health to its Digital Care Offerings

Amazon has added digital musculoskeletal care company Hinge Health to its care platform. According to a press release, when the online retailer’s customers search for products related to back, joint, or muscle pain, they will encounter Hinge Health programs and have an option to check their insurance eligibility for participation. The program includes an artificial intelligence delivery model and wearable devices with clinical care support. This is the 4th partner program for Amazon, adding to …

Substantial Update to First Aid Guidelines Reflects New Literature

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 …

Head-to-Head Study Compares GLP-1 Weight Loss

In a pharmaceutical head-to-head, tirzepatide was found to provide 47% greater relative weight loss compared to semaglutide. On average, patients using tirzepatide lost 50.3 lbs (22.8 kg), and those using semaglutide lost 33.1 lbs (15.0 kg) after 72 weeks. In addition, for the study’s secondary endpoint, 31.6% of people taking tirzepatide achieved at least 25% body weight loss compared to 16.1% of those taking semaglutide. The randomized, open-label trial included 751 participants across the United …

UnitedHealth Group CEO Killed Near NY Investor Day Event

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 …

Which Children Receive First-Line Antibiotics in Urgent Care Most Often?

In a new study of children 6 to 18 months of age, researchers found the odds of receiving first-line antibiotic therapy in pediatric urgent care centers (PUCs) were lower among White children and those with commercial insurance than in other groups. Authors of the study presented in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology looked at guideline-recommended first-line antibiotics for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) for 396,340 encounters at 28 PUCs in the United States over 1 year. …