The Traveling Patient
Urgent message: The accessibility of urgent care makes it a prime venue for patients preparing for international travel and patients who may have become ill due to exposure to infectious agents while traveling overseas. Francine Olmstead, MD, FACP Whether a patient visits an urgent care center for an infection or a primary care physician for follow-up, every healthcare provider should inquire about anticipated overseas travel. In addition, if a patient is being evaluated for a …
Read More
Assessment, Intervention, and Disposition of Patients with Psychiatric Symptoms
Urgent message: Assessment of patients presenting with psychiatric conditions requires amodified set of skills compared with traditional medical assessment. Urgent care clinicians must be prepared to determine appropriate interventions—treatment, referral, or both. Gregory P. Brown, MD Introduction Typically, the interaction between clinicians and patients presenting with psychiatric conditions is guided by information obtained from the interview, history, and physical examination rather than emphasizing laboratory or radiological testing. Therapeutic options may be challenged by a lack …
Read More
Identifying and Treating Superficial Fungal Infections in the Urgent Care Setting
Urgent message: Rashes often lead patients to seek relief in the urgent care center. The ability to differentiate among common, superficial fungal infections and to select the most appropriate treatment or refer is an important skill to master. Kosta G. Skandamis, MD and George Skandamis, MD Introduction Superficial fungal infections are among the most common skin conditions seen in the urgent care setting. Dermatophytes are the most common type of fungi that infect and survive …
Read MoreDecember 2009
Treating Common Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in an Era of Increasing Antibiotic Resistance
Urgent message: Thorough evaluation and thoughtful prescribing can help ensure responsible, effective care and patient satisfaction. Joseph Toscano, MD Introduction Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are among the most common reasons patients seek assistance in urgent care practice. The common cold, otitis media, acute sinusitis, and acute pharyngitis are well known to patient and provider alike. Acute bronchitis is a lower respiratory tract infection, with features similar to URTIs. These infections are most often self-limited …
Read MoreNovember 2009
Preparing for Pandemic Influenza in the Urgent Care Setting
Urgent message: Between the current – and still growing – volume of H1N1 flu cases and fast-approaching influenza season, the urgent care physician will be challenged to distinguish among a variety of common cold and influenza-like conditions. Gary Klein, MD, MPH, MBA, CHS-V, FAADM Introduction The mainstream media have certainly accomplished the mission of alerting the public to the dangers of H1N1 flu – perhaps to the point that many are tempted to dismiss their …
Read MoreOctober 2009
Assessing Patients in the Wake of Motor Vehicle Accidents
Urgent message: Patients presenting to urgent care in the wake of a motor vehicle accident have self-selected their treatment setting. However, it is imperative to maintain vigilance for potentially serious and even life-threatening injuries that may not be apparent. Gloria I. Kim, MD and Jill C. Miller, MD According to the National Center for Health Statistics, motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) accounted for nearly 5 million ED visits in 2006. The diverse injuries may be temporary, …
Read More