Practice Management
In a cohort study of more than 2.7 million emergency department (ED) visits published in JAMA Network Open, researchers found long wait times and lengths of stay were common at children’s hospitals during the 2022 surge of viral respiratory illnesses. They studied visits across 25 EDs from September 1 to December 31, 2022, including 301,688 pediatric visits for viral and respiratory illness, such as COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus. The experience during this time period …
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Under the “Live Healthy” initiative proposed by Florida lawmakers in early December, every hospital emergency department (ED) would need to create a plan for handling patients who present with non-emergent conditions and/or for those who do not have access to a primary care physician. The aim of the proposed legislation is to divert non-emergent ED visits to urgent care or primary care, thus saving ED resources and encouraging less costly preventive care. If passed, the rules would …
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When Alexa talks to patients with type 2 diabetes, apparently they listen. A study in JAMA Network Open found patients gained better glycemic control when they engaged with an artificial intelligence (AI) voice app—which was customized by their respective clinicians to help them achieve optimal insulin dosing. App users demonstrated significantly better insulin adherence and glycemic improvement during the 2-month trial. Glycemic control was measured by mean fasting blood glucose, rather than HbA1c. The app …
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Health officials in Ohio are tracking a surge in pediatric pneumonia cases in Warren County, with 145 cases reported in children aged 3 to 14 since August. Although these are considered “typical pediatric pneumonia cases” in terms of severity, the prevalence has led to an unusually high number of hospitalizations, meeting the criteria for an outbreak according to the Ohio Department of Health. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the national …
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Sesame, a virtual and in-person primary care provider with direct-pay pricing, has now added the ubiquitous doctor’s note to its list of services. In the company’s press release, it clearly draws competitive battle lines in the market by calling out urgent care as an option that “is quite expensive” for patients who need to obtain doctor’s notes for work or school. Sesame offers the notes free of charge with paid consultations, which start at $30. …
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A survey of 1,559 adults conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that 35% of Americans worry that they or someone in their family will get respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the next 3 months. The same percentage (35%) said they are worried that they or someone in their family will get COVID-19 in the next 3 months, up from 21% in August 2023. Flu concerns are somewhat higher, however, …
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Sentara Health has acquired full ownership of Velocity Urgent Care, according to a press release. The hospital system has been operating Velocity as a joint venture for more than 6 years, and with the acquisition, has plans to open a new location in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, early next year. With nearly 200 employees, the Velocity network of centers currently serves patients in 17 locations in Virginia. The integration aims to enhance patient access and …
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In late November, New Jersey lawmakers proposed Bill A5731, which amends one of the state’s statutes. The bill would mandate that providers in urgent care centers have degrees and qualifications equal to those required for hospital emergency department providers. The category would encompass all licensed professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners. The bill broadly defines “urgent care facility” as a health center offering episodic, walk-in care for non-life-threatening conditions. If passed, the …
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LinkedIn has launched new features specifically aimed at helping nursing professionals refine job search filters on the social media site so they can find jobs more specific to their licensing and clinical specialties. Nurses can also filter job postings by shift and schedule. By sifting through the many open positions more precisely, LinkedIn aims to make a better match not only for qualifications but also for the preferences of the 3 million job-hunting nurses that …
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As the flu season gains momentum in the United States, a triple threat of viruses—influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—is causing concern. Children under age 5 in particular are heavily impacted, and they made up more than 10% of visits for flu-like illnesses the week before Thanksgiving, according to federal data. Pediatric hospital beds were strained across the nation with about 75% in use. Mandy Cohen, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control …
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