Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

What’s New in Telemedicine for 2025?

Phyllis Dobberstein, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, CEMC, CCC The American Medical Association (AMA) added a Telemedicine Services category to the Evaluation and Management (E/M) section of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set. Codes are divided up by the technology used and the patient type (ie, new vs. established). These codes are for synchronous, real-time interactive encounters between the provider and the patient. Codes are leveled by medical decision making (MDM) or time, which is similar …

UCCOP Seeks AMA Specialty Recognition

The Urgent Care College of Physicians (UCCOP) recently submitted its application to the Specialty and Service Society (SSS) of the American Medical Association (AMA). The application is the first step toward specialty recognition. According to UCCOP, the strategic initiative is part of an effort to amplify the voice of urgent care clinicians within the AMA. The SSS decision should be forthcoming in November. Entrance into the SSS requires that a percentage of UCCOP physicians be …

AAPA Wants a Word With AMA To Clear The Air On Workforce Shortages

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) in July sent a letter to the American Medical Association (AMA) requesting a meeting between the 2 organizations to talk through what AAPA believes is AMA’s “disparaging rhetoric” about the physician associate (PA) profession. The meeting never happened, and according to a follow-up letter, AAPA says, “the continued silence from the AMA raises concerns about your commitment to collaboration and finding solutions to strengthen America’s health care workforce …