Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Using Urgent-Care-Based Telemedicine to Increase Primary Care Referrals: A Quality Improvement Project

Urgent Message: A quality improvement project demonstrated increased referral rates to primary care from an urgent care telemedicine service line for those who did not have a primary care provider. Brianna Woodruff, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C; Khara’ A. Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CHC Citation: Woodruff B, Jefferson K. Using Urgent-Care-Based Telemedicine to Increase Primary Care Referrals: A Quality Improvement Project. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 18(5): 40-47. Key words: Effective care, primary care referral, telemedicine, urgent …

Improving Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Pediatric Patients

Urgent message: The treatment of acute otitis media is a common problem throughout healthcare. Many national provider organizations have emphasized the significance of proper diagnosis and treatment is essential for a full, uncomplicated recovery. Jessica M. Crandall, DNP, ARNP-FNP-BC and Misty Schwartz, PhD, RN Citation: Crandall JM, Schwartz M. Improving adherence to clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute otitis media in pediatric patients. J Urgent Care Med. 2023;17(11):25-34. Click Here to download the …

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Sinusitis in an Urgent Care and Convenience Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project

Urgent Message: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in the outpatient setting has been a longstanding public health challenge. An educational session implemented in a large Midwestern healthcare system group of urgent care and convenience care clinics resulted in a statistically significant reduction in antibiotic prescribing for acute sinusitis and a statistically significant increase in antibiotic guideline adherence. Dr. Amy K. Rasmussen, DNP, FNP-C ABSTRACT Background: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in the outpatient setting is a longstanding problem and …

Use of a Quality Improvement Tool for the Evaluation of Healthcare Disparities in Urgent Care: A Case Example for Bacterial Pneumonia

Urgent message: While healthcare disparities have been studied in several healthcare settings, it is unclear whether they persist in urgent care. This study may serve as a quality improvement tool to assess whether these disparities persist in an urgent care clinic. Derrick Murcia and Lindsey Fish, MD Citation: Murcia D, Fish L. Evaluation of healthcare disparities in urgent care: a case example for bacterial pneumonia. J Urgent Care Med. 2022;16(4):23-27. Epub ahead of print September …

Quality Improvement Report: Improving Telephone Follow-Up in an Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Follow-up after a patient visit is essential to the continuum of care and to the perception of customer service. Especially in the urgent care setting, where providers may have no ongoing relationship with a patient, the most basic office practices (eg, collecting accurate and accessible contact information) can seem deceptively simple but are of critical importance. Jimmie Toler, MSN, NP-C, Emily E. Johnson, PhD, and Barbara J. Edlund, PhD, ANP, BC Introduction Continuum …

Quality Improvement Report: Elevated Blood Pressure Referrals in an Urgent Care Setting to Increase Follow-Up Appointments with Primary-Care Providers

Urgent message: Urgent care providers are valued for their ability to treat nonemergent acute healthcare needs efficiently, but in so doing they are also well positioned to identify other, underlying healthcare issues such as hypertension. Introduction Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for approximately 24% of all deaths.1 Many known risk factors are associated with heart disease, including high blood pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and …