Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Australia Learned Too Late: By the Time You’re Hacked, You’re at the Mercy of the Criminals

Australia is in the midst of a major data breach crisis after the health records of millions of Aussies were released on the dark web by hackers demanding undisclosed ransom. According to an article published online by Gizmodo, Australian insurance provider Medibank negotiated with the unknown hackers before ultimately deciding not to pay—at which point the cybercriminals put private medical information online. The group, which cybersecurity experts are calling BlogXX, appears to be running a …

Use of Pulse Oximeters Is Both Common and Essential—but Could Be Plagued by an Inherent Flaw

Viewed by many as “the fifth vital sign,” pulse oximetry is an essential reading in any number of presentations to urgent care. Now new investigations are amplifying a question many have had for years, though: Does the pulse oximeter work equally well with patients of all skin tones? The Food and Drug Administration says it’s going to look more closely at the matter, but in the meantime, according to an article published by Medpage Today, …

In a Story Even Stranger than ‘Man Bites Dog,’ the Takeaway Is the Global Spread of Urgent Care

Let’s get the headline-grabbing part of the story out of the way first: According to an article published online, an 8-year-old boy in India defended himself against an attack by a deadly cobra by biting the snake back—with the reptile ultimately succumbing to its own injuries and the boy surviving. The less sensational, but possibly more impactful aspect of the story is that the boy received treatment not at a hospital or community health clinic, …

Staffing Issues Are Hitting Pharmacies, too—and with Flu Season Here, the Timing Couldn’t Be Worse

We’re all well aware that urgent care centers are wrestling with shortages of clinical staff, x-ray technicians, and various other essential positions. It’s especially challenging when patient visits start to swell, such as during flu season. Be aware that the situation could get dire as the weeks roll on, however. According to an article just published by Becker’s Hospital Review, drugstores are having their own troubles with pharmacist staffing—and it’s starting to hinder their ability …

Travelers Need a Go-To When Their Getaways Turn Injurious. Why Not Your UCC?

Americans will be traveling to see family or enjoy getaways in increasing numbers as the winter holidays and school breaks approach. Inevitably, along with the fun there will be skiing accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, and other cold-weather mishaps. Some of those unfortunate events will take place in resort areas, where people don’t have a clue where to turn for convenient care. Durango Urgent Care, clearly, foresaw this need and has arranged to open a location on …

With COVID-19 Expected to Climb This Winter, Could a Resurgence in MIS-C Be Far Behind?

With COVID-19 Expected to Climb This Winter, Could a Resurgence in MIS-C Be Far Behind? As JUCM News has reported, cases of COVID-19 are expected to climb as we move into the winter months. While some signs point to a “season” that will be less severe than the past couple of years, others paint a less optimistic picture. Either way, it is essential to keep in mind that while otherwise healthy children have been less …

Too Many Kids Are at Risk for Abuse and Trafficking. Ensure Your Urgent Care Center Is a Safe Haven

Children and their parents should be able to trust that healthcare providers are among the safest individuals in the world to be around—with should being the operative word. Sadly, that’s an idealistic notion that doesn’t hold up when (fortunately rare) events prove otherwise. Most recently, as reported by 7News Boston, a physician in Massachusetts was one of four men arrested in a sting operation designed to snare individuals willing to pay for sex with 12- …

Telehealth May Have Its Place—but Follow-Up Care Isn’t It

Proponents of telehealth maintain that anything that gets more patients to see a healthcare provider is a step forward. Skeptics counter that there are just too many nuances and observations that can be missed when you’re chatting over electronic devices and not in the presence of the patient. New research published by JAMA Network Open seems to support the latter belief, at least when it comes to follow-up care after a visit to the emergency …

Monkeypox Has Subsided. Now It’s Time to Watch for the Complications

An upsurge in cases of monkeypox earlier this year displaced mainstream media coverage of COVID-19—for a while, anyway. Now that new cases have slowed, that attention has shifted back to concerns for a resurgence of the pandemic and an accompanying increase in other respiratory viruses. Urgent care providers should be aware that certain complications of monkeypox linger, though, as noted in an article just published by JAMA Neurology. Such vigilance could actually aid in retrospective …

Doing Well by Doing Good in Your Communities

The community in which your urgent care business operates is probably full of residents who drive past your front door many times a week. Maybe they’ve never noticed, or have been visiting your competitor down the road when they have same-day needs to see a healthcare provider. It’s just as likely that some members of that same community are struggling to make ends meet or to put food on the table—literally. Thanksgiving and the approaching …