Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Is Orthopedic Urgent Care Really Urgent Care?

As the urgent care industry moves forward, other specialties seek to get on board by establishing niche markets within the urgent care industry. Across the United States, subspecialty urgent care such as orthopedic urgent care, pediatric urgent care, and psychiatric urgent care, etc. are already trying to establishing themselves within the urgent care industry. As these facilities become more specialized and exclusive, the question must be asked: Are these subspecialty facilities urgent care—or just marketing …

Healthcare Helps Drive Thriving Real Estate Markets

The ongoing “consumerization” of healthcare—evidenced by the continuing growth of urgent care, telehealth and other patient-convenience trends—is one key factor in how medical facilities and related operations are fueling a boom in local real estate markets. As medical practice moves away from a hospital-centric model toward a culture more similar to a retail appearance, existing spaces need to be adapted to accommodate private exam and x-ray areas, offer comfortable waiting rooms, and assure adequate parking …

Cost Benefit Becoming Key for Employers Eying Telemedicine

Previous analysis of how viable telemedicine could become has focused on providing access for residents of underserved rural areas and cutting down on lost productivity time for employees. Now, with state legislatures around the country approving laws that demand parity for telemedicine, employers and payers are looking more closely at the economics of offering coverage for remote physician encounters. IHS Technology projects that annual spending on telehealth will rise to $2.2 billion in 2018, up …

The Benefits of Near-Site vs Onsite Employee Clinics

There has been a push by some large, single-campus employers in recent years to develop onsite clinics for occupational medicine and health/wellness (including urgent and primary care). The typical model has employers paying all costs associated with the clinic, as well as a set fee to the management company. In an industrial setting where an RN can provide first aid for workplace injuries and track compliance towards OSHA regulations, the model can be justified. But in office settings …

CRH Healthcare Extends Its Reach in Florida

Atlanta-based CRH Healthcare is all set to add seven new Florida locations by virtue of acquiring Patient First’s seven locations in Tallahassee, FL. CRH already operates 26 centers across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. In addition to urgent care, Patient First offers primary care and occupational medicine services. CRH Healthcare plans to “invest significant capital and effort on several key initiatives” involving the deal, including a new electronic medical record system that it expects to go …

Study Shows Attributes of Telemedicine and Urgent Care Are Well Aligned

Name a rapidly expanding healthcare industry offering care that’s convenient, fast, and relatively low cost. “Urgent care” is the easy answer, so if you said “telemedicine” you get bonus points. National Business Group (NBG) predicted months ago that employers would continue warming to the idea and that many more would start offering telemedicine benefits; now it’s confirmed that 74% are doing so, up from 48% just last year. NBG also broke down what employers value …

U.S. HealthWorks Grows Occ Med Business with New Acquisition

U.S. HealthWorks continues to invest heavily in its Florida occupational medicine business, more than doubling its stake there by buying Lakeside Occupational Medical Centers, which operates 14 centers in the Tampa Bay, Lakeland, and Orlando areas. Once the deal is finalized, U.S. HealthWorks will have 27 locations in Florida; they’ll be among 244 medical offices and onsite clinics in 21 states. That makes it one of the largest occupational health and urgent care operators in …

Zika Pushes Texas to Qualify Mosquito Repellent as a Medicaid Benefit

Texas Medicaid now covers certain mosquito repellent products as a Medicaid benefit for the prevention of the Zika virus under certain conditions, effective August 9. Girls and women 10-45 years of age and pregnant women of any age covered by Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), CHIP-Perinate, and Healthy Texas Women are all eligible. As with over-the-counter medications, a prescription is required for coverage. Interestingly, Texas has reported cases of Zika that originated elsewhere, but …

Free Urgent Care Webinar: Even a First-Round Draft Pick is an Employee

Providers are the key personnel in any medical facility, and urgent care centers are no exception. To use a sports analogy, they’re the “superstars” of the team—which means they have to deliver if you’re going to have a winning record. However, as independent contractors, they can also put you on the losing side of Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service violations. Attorney and experienced compliance officer Kurt Tullar will explain how to stay in …

Report Cites Cost Effectiveness, Speed of Service as Keys to Urgent Care Growth

Offering cost savings vs higher-acuity settings and getting patients in and out the door quickly are primarily responsible for the ongoing rapid growth of the urgent care market, according to a new market report from Transparency Market Research (TMR). “The service time…[is] better than in an emergency department. Additionally, the fee per visit paid by a patient, whether with health insurance or not, in urgent care centers is much lower than the fee paid in …