Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

CVS Accelerates Pace of MinuteClinic Closures

Looking comprehensively at the ongoing announcements from CVS, it becomes clear that the healthcare giant is recasting its retail pharmacy and in-store clinic strategy. With the recent announcement that CVS is shutting down all of its MinuteClinics in Utah this month, the company’s clinic closures are rapidly adding up—with more closures expected by February 2025. In terms of retail operations overall, CVS pledged to whittle away approximately 300 store locations per year, adding up to …

Could the Obesity Trend Be Diminishing?

In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to a new research letter describing body mass index (BMI) data from 2013 to 2023 in JAMA Health Forum. In spite of conflicting trends forecasting increasing obesity rates (ie, BMI equal to or greater than 30) over the next decade, researchers found the mean population BMI rose annually from 2013 to 2021, then plateaued in 2022 at 46%, followed by …

Private Equity Courting Walgreens For Acquisition

Earlier this week, several media outlets reported that Walgreens is in negotiation discussions for a potential sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. With Walgreens’ debt and flagging in-store clinics, a major overhaul seems likely regardless. A few weeks ago, the retail pharmacy giant said it would be closing 1,200 locations over the next few years after reporting a $3 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2024. A deal with Sycamore Partners would take …

AI Tool Correctly Detects Epileptic Syndrome in Infants By Watching Videos

An artificial intelligence (AI) model accurately detected infantile epileptic spasm syndrome through the assessment of smartphone videos captured by families, according to a study published in a medRxiv preprint that has not been peer reviewed. Among the results, the AI model had 82% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The infantile epileptic spasm syndrome diagnosis is considered a neurologic emergency, according to MedPage Today, and experts believe the AI platform has potential as a screening tool. Infants …

Amazon Adds Hinge Health to its Digital Care Offerings

Amazon has added digital musculoskeletal care company Hinge Health to its care platform. According to a press release, when the online retailer’s customers search for products related to back, joint, or muscle pain, they will encounter Hinge Health programs and have an option to check their insurance eligibility for participation. The program includes an artificial intelligence delivery model and wearable devices with clinical care support. This is the 4th partner program for Amazon, adding to …

Head-to-Head Study Compares GLP-1 Weight Loss

In a pharmaceutical head-to-head, tirzepatide was found to provide 47% greater relative weight loss compared to semaglutide. On average, patients using tirzepatide lost 50.3 lbs (22.8 kg), and those using semaglutide lost 33.1 lbs (15.0 kg) after 72 weeks. In addition, for the study’s secondary endpoint, 31.6% of people taking tirzepatide achieved at least 25% body weight loss compared to 16.1% of those taking semaglutide. The randomized, open-label trial included 751 participants across the United …

Which Children Receive First-Line Antibiotics in Urgent Care Most Often?

In a new study of children 6 to 18 months of age, researchers found the odds of receiving first-line antibiotic therapy in pediatric urgent care centers (PUCs) were lower among White children and those with commercial insurance than in other groups. Authors of the study presented in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology looked at guideline-recommended first-line antibiotics for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) for 396,340 encounters at 28 PUCs in the United States over 1 year. …

UK Begins To Stockpile H5N1 Vaccines

The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency has now contracted with a supplier to purchase more than 5 million doses of human H5N1 avian flu vaccine to prepare the country should an avian flu pandemic occur. The virus has been causing a prolonged global outbreak with new cases emerging in humans recently—although the risk still remains quite low. Poultry and dairy cattle are the most likely animals to experience outbreaks of the virus, and thousands of …

VillageMD Top Exec Resigns Amid Financial Backslide

CEO Tim Barry, the founder and top executive of VillageMD, is stepping down from his role as the company faces significant financial difficulties. Majority owner Walgreens Boots Alliance has reported substantial losses amounting to billions of dollars, according to Forbes. VillageMD has struggled for more than a decade to attract patients to its clinics located within Walgreens retail stores. This has led to a sharp reduction in its intended expansion plans to stand up clinics …

UC Medical Director Nesheiwat Tapped for Surgeon General

President-elect Trump has announced his intended appointment of Janette Nesheiwat, MD, to be the next surgeon general, according to NPR. She is currently a medical director for CityMD and has contributed to Fox News. With a specialization in emergency and family medicine, she is known for supporting vaccine efforts with an emphasis on the balance of risk and benefit. CityMD merged with Summit Health and was ultimately acquired by VillageMD in early 2023 for $8.9 …

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