Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

UCA Advocates for Urgent Care in Comments on FDA CLIA Draft Guidance

The Urgent Care Association is one of numerous organizations that have filed comments regarding a draft Food and Drug Administration Guidance on CLIA-waived tests. UCA, and others, charge that the spirit of Select Updates for Recommendations for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) Waiver Applications for Manufacturers of In Vitro Diagnostic Devices runs counter to the intent expressed by Congress in passing the amendment. For one thing, they maintain, the FDA must remove proposed discussion …

News Flash: Patients Hate to Wait—and That Matters When Choosing a Provider

Nearly a third of patients taking part in a survey from Vitals say they’ve walked out on a physician appointment because they had to wait so long—and 20% have been so put off by wait times that they’ve switched doctors altogether. No surprise, then, that the Wait Time Report also reveals that 84% of people believe the amount of time they have to wait to see a medical provider is either “somewhat important” or “very …

Florida Joins States that Limit Opioid Prescriptions

Florida Gov. Rick Scott just signed new legislation into effect limiting the amount of opioid pain relievers physicians can write at one time. As other states have done, and as has been discussed at the federal level, the bill will limit opioid prescriptions for acute pain to a 3-day supply, though Florida prescribers will have the option of writing for a 7-day supply if medically necessary. The law will require prescribers to check the state’s …

Ascension Aims for a Smaller Footprint, Citing Changing Healthcare Landscape

Lower reimbursements, regulatory challenges, and increased competition are among the factors moving Ascension to reduce its “footprint,” according to a new article in Modern Healthcare. CEO Anthony Tersigni told employees that the company would be restructured from its current model as a hospital system “to one that’s focused on outpatient care and telemedicine.” Ascension saw revenues drop 27% last year compared with 2016 (though nonoperating income increased by $1.31 billion). It’s noteworthy that inpatient and …

Phase 3 Migraine Clinical Trial Finds a Prime Site in Urgent Care

Hometown Urgent Care in Ohio is one of just 18 sites participating in a new phase 3 clinical trial to assess a prospective treatment for adult patients with acute migraines. The trial will compare pain freedom in subjects who’ve taken the drug rimegepant vs placebo in the acute treatment of migraine at 2 hours postdose. It will also take into account freedom from the “most bothersome symptom” (nausea, phonophobia, or photophobia) in the rimegepant group …

Another Market Projection Shows Urgent Care Surge Continuing—to Nearly $26 Billion

The U.S. urgent care market will continue to grow through at least 2023—to an overall value of $25.93 billion, according to a report just released by MarketsandMarkets. The research, packaged under the title Urgent Care Center Market by Service (Acute Illness Treatment, Trauma/Injury Treatment, Physical Examination, Immunization & Vaccination), Ownership (Corporate Owned, Physician Owned, Hospital Owned), and Region – Global Forecast to 2023, attributes the ongoing surge to the public’s demand for affordable care and shorter …

Discounting Spring Sports Physicals Can Get New Patients Onboard

The weather may be lagging to catch up, but preparation for spring sports is well underway in schools across the country. Some families may be lagging in getting their student athletes in for a preparticipation physical, as well. Now is the time to let them know you’re ready to help. PhysicianOne Urgent Care locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York are providing incentive for families to choose them by offering to conduct those physicals for …

NP Ranks Continue to Swell in Urgent Care—and Beyond

The number of nurse practitioners currently licensed to practice in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2007, with urgent care continuing to be a source of growth. Of the 248,000 NPs now practicing around the country, 5.9% (14,632) are caring for patients in urgent care centers, according to just-released data from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. AANP President Joyce Knestrick, PhD, APRN, DFNP, FAANP points to the growing shortage of physicians as evidence …

Urgent Care Claims Up 1,725% Between 2007 and 2016 (and No, That’s Not a Typo)

Insurance claims for urgent care visits grew by 1,725% between 2007 and 2016—more than seven times the growth rate of claims for emergency room visits, according to new data from FAIR Health. The FH Medical Price Index and FH Healthcare Indicators reports also reveal that the median price for an urgent care visit is lower than the cost of new-patient visits to office-based physicians ($242 vs $294, respectively). Fair Health based its data on over …

Trump Administration Promotes Patient Ownership of Health Data

The White House and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are promoting a move toward greater patient ownership of their own medical records—which would also bolster interoperability among providers, they say. If the MyHealthEData initiative is successful, its proponents say it could help save some of the 400,000 lives lost annually because providers don’t have timely access to a patient’s complete medical history. CMS Director Seema Verma framed the plan in the context of …