In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we share insight into the most common reasons patients choose to visit an urgent care center. These data reflect the results of a cross sectional survey of 1,006 patients who visited an urgent care clinic.1 Reasons named by less than 40% of patient included: transportation available at that time told to come by outside …
Read MoreCoding for Two Visits in One Day, Billing for Atypical Urgent Care Services, and Billing on the UB-04
Q. The patient in question is a new patient to the urgent care. At 10 a.m., she visited the urgent care with chief complaint of cough, headache, and myalgias. She was discharged home with a final diagnosis of cough and prescription for ibuprofen and cough syrup. At 3 p.m., she retuned with a complaint of headache and was treated with IM headache medications and sent home with a diagnosis of headache with pain meds. How …
Read More‘Sorry’ Shouldn’t Be the Hardest Word
The following movies, in my opinion, are non-starters on first dates. In no particular order: Sophie’s Choice (tragic) Schindler’s List (depressing) The Exorcist (freaky) The English Patient (mind-numbing boredom) Terms of Endearment (heart-wrenching) and finally, Love Story (sappy). You may, if you were born before 1960, remember the tagline and memorable quote in Love Story. “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Oh please, even in 1970, when I was 10-years-old, I knew that …
Read MoreMake Connectivity Part of Your Marketing Strategy
We live in an entirely new business world these days: a world in the midst of rapid change and new rules. Three words seem to embody this new reality: • leverage • integration • alliances These three words apply well to urgent care clinic sales and marketing. They can also be viewed as essential to the concept of connectivity. Here, we will review how connectivity can be used to enhance an urgent care clinic’s occupational …
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Building Urgent Care Referral Relationships Part 2: EDs, PCPs, and Specialists
Urgent message: Forging solid relationships with other clinicians in emergency, primary care, or specialty settings can help facilitate two-way referrals and prove beneficial to all parties involved – including patients. The second of two parts. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Overbooked primary care officers and time-consuming (not to mention costly) trips to the emergency room leave many patients frustrated and feeling they have no place left to turn when a medical condition requires immediate attention …
Read MoreDeveloping Data: January, 2010
In each issue on this page, we report on research from or relevant to the emerging urgent care marketplace. This month, we offer an analysis of how patient satisfaction is affected by time spent in the emergency room, and how current scores compare with research done two years prior. Though not reflective of patient experiences in the urgent care settings, these data can serve as a lesson on the importance of respecting the patient’s time …
Read MoreEmbracing a Culture of Constant Change
Coding by Time, for Emergent Care, and for Nurse Practitioner Visits
Q. How does one determine whether an E/M code can qualify for coding according to time spent? Obviously, any psychiatric counseling would fit the criteria, but what about “teaching” (e.g. how to use an inhaler, how to perform a breast exam), or preventive medicine counseling? – Question submitted by Dr. Kim, Med7 Urgent Care, CA A. The key issues on counting counseling or coordination of care toward the E/M code are: Counseling and/or coordination of …
Read MoreDeconstructing the Ten Commandments of Urgent Care Medicine
Since the holiday season was just upon us, I will take the opportunity to borrow heavily from the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille movie, The Ten Commandments. The movie portrays the life of Moses, from an infant floating down the Nile through his return to Egypt to lead the Hebrews across the Red Sea. For the next few paragraphs, think of me as the Moses of Urgent CareWorld, as I attempt to lead you to the …
Read MoreBuilding Urgent Care Referral Relationships: Pharmacies and Retail Host Clinics
Urgent message: Viewing other community healthcare providers (e.g., pharmacists) or even possible competitors (e.g., retail clinics) as referral sources can increase revenues and bolster the urgent care center’s place in the healthcare system. The first of two parts. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Urgent Care has evolved to the point that it is a vital part of a community’s healthcare infrastructure, offering access when primary care appointments are unavailable and relief when emergency rooms are …
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