Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Urgent Care Evaluation for Snakebite Envenomation

Urgent message: Snakebite envenomation is relatively rare, but immediate action upon presentation to the urgent care center—including quick and accurate identification, appropriate care, and sound decisions regarding transfer to the ED—maximize the chance for optimal outcomes. Andrew Vang, DO Introduction Snake venom poisoning is a complex medical emergency that is seen infrequently, but when encountered requires rapid recognition and urgent management. The following discussion will focus on appropriately identifying snakebites from indigenous venomous species in …

Assessment and Management of Asthma Exacerbation in Urgent Care: Part 1

Urgent message: Asthma is increasing in prevalence and so, too, presentations of asthma in ambulatory settings. Urgent care providers have an important role to play in identifying and treating acute asthma exacerbations, including providing a written asthma action plan at discharge to improve long-term outcome. BRADLEY M. TURNER MD, MPH, MHA, FCAP, FASCP and JANET M. WILLIAMS, MD, FACEP Patients often seek assistance in urgent care centers for acute presentations of asthma. This provides unique …

Ureterolithiasis: Leaving No Stone Unturned

Urgent message: Symptoms from stones in the ureter can mimic other conditions, making for a diagnostic dilemma in urgent care. Imaging is the key to accurate assessment and appropriate treatment. WILLIAM GLUCKMAN, DO, MBA, FACEP and KATE ABERGER, MD Ureterolithiasis, which literally translates to stones in the ureter, is sometimes referred to improperly as “kidney stones,” which are properly known as nephrolithiasis. Although stones do form within the kidney, they do not typically cause acute …

Giant Cell Arteritis: A Clinical Review for Urgent Care Providers

Urgent message: Giant cell arteritis is an under-recognized and easily missed vasculitis of older adults, a challenging but “can’t miss” diagnosis. The urgent care clinician must be able to recognize this entity sometimes referred to as the “great masquerader” and be comfortable initiating timely emergency treatment. Ryan C. Jacobsen MD, EMT-P Giant cell arteritis (GCA), more commonly known as temporal arteritis, is an under-recognized vasculitis of older adults that can have potentially devastating consequences, most …

Pitfalls in Assessing and Managing Common Pediatric Injuries

Urgent message: Fractures, in general, are relatively common among pediatric patients. Those most likely to be seen in the urgent care setting include injuries to the radius, ulna, humerus, lateral condyle, clavicle, tibia, and fibula. The second of two parts. Justin Kunes, MD, Shane R. Hanzlik, MD, Allison Gilmore, MD As noted in part 1 of this article (published in the February 2011 issue of JUCM and available at www.jucm.com), fractures are common injuries in …

Epididymitis-The Optimal Urologic Evaluation Management Approach in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Though epididymitis is clinically non-urgent, its symptoms are driving more and more men to urgent care, making it imperative that providers are familiar with its epidemiology, etiology, evaluation, and treatment. Introduction Epididymitis is among the most frequently diagnosed and treated conditions in men. Typically, men present to, and are diagnosed and treated by, their primary care physicians or their urologist. Treatment is with antibiotics on an outpatient basis. Epididymitis is, in general, non-life …