Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Rising Congenital Syphilis Trend Could Be Prevented

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported a surge in congenital syphilis cases in the United States over the past decade, with a 755% increase from 2012-2021. In 2022, there were 3,761 reported cases, leading to an increase in stillbirths, infant mortality, and severe birth defects. Most of these cases could have been prevented if mothers had received adequate testing and treatment, says the CDC. The issue disproportionately affects certain populations with …

Financial Health Still Tenuous Since the Pandemic

Twelve percent of clinicians health executives say they remain pessimistic about their organizations ever fully restoring their financial health to prepandemic levels, according to a report by NEJM Catalyst that was analyzed by Becker’s Hospital Review. The revelation has raised concerns within the healthcare industry. Despite an increase in patient volumes, 54% of respondents (health systems, clinics, physician organizations, or other facilities) reported that their organization’s financial health was somewhat or significantly worse than before …

EM Residency Positions Go Unfilled

An analysis in STAT News found a recently developed disconnect between interest in the field of emergency medicine and the number of available residency spots. The number of applications has exceeded the number of positions historically with more than enough applicants throwing their hats in the ring from 2008 to 2022. However in recent months, the trend has reversed. Now, as the analysis shows, the number of applications has dropped well below the number of …

Infant Mortality Increases By 3%

In 2022, the United States saw a 3% increase in the infant mortality rate, which represents the most significant rise in two decades. The national infant mortality rate climbed from 5.44 per 1,000 live births to 5.6 per 1,000, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although it appears as a seemingly small increase, it’s the first statistically significant jump since the rise recorded between 2001-2002. Notably, the rise in infant mortality …

Join Virtual Discussions About ‘Bounceback!’ Cases

One hour of free CME will be offered in the forthcoming Bouncebacks! Book Club virtual discussions. The book series Bouncebacks!—created by The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine’s Senior Clinical Editor Michael Weinstock, MD, and colleagues—takes a fresh approach to the practice of medicine by focusing on “bounce-back” visits with a collection of case reports. The Bouncebacks! series presents the actual documentation of an emergency encounter, analyzes it from a risk-management and patient-safety perspective, then reveals …

ER Doc Pioneers 3D Instruments to Help Gaza and Ukraine

A decade ago, Tarek Loubani, an emergency medicine physician and Kuwait-born Palestinian refugee, developed the world’s first 3D-printed stethoscope to address the medical equipment crisis in under-resourced global communities. In 2016, he founded the Glia Project, and the organization is now actively printing critical medical equipment for providers in conflict zones like Gaza and the Ukraine, according to STAT News. The group aims to empower local communities to produce their own 3D-printed equipment with the …

Phenylephrine Removed From Shelves

In a unanimous decision, an FDA advisory committee recently determined that phenylephrine, a key ingredient in popular over-the-counter nasal decongestants, is no more effective than a placebo in treating cold and allergy symptoms. The committee reviewed mounting evidence indicating that oral phenylephrine is an ineffective remedy for nasal congestion, even though many consumers use products that contain it, such as Sudafed PE and NyQuil. In response, CVS retail pharmacies discontinued the sale of products containing …

19% of Health Workers Feel Burned Out

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes the well-being and working conditions for health workers using self-reported, cross-sectional data. From 2018 to 2022, health workers reported an increase in days where they felt their mental health was poor (from 3.3 days to 4.5 days). Meanwhile, the percentage who reported feeling burnout “very often” increased from 11.6% to 19.0%. Overall, 57.0% reported anxiety symptoms in 2022, and 44.2% reported being …

What Amazon is Saying About Urgent Care

In a recent press release announcing its capabilities for treating cold and flu symptoms, Amazon Clinic—the telehealth channel of the Amazon enterprise—took a dig at urgent care. Its chief medical officer said in the release, “When many people feel sick, they end up at urgent care without knowing what they’ll be charged.” The retailer provides upfront pricing on its telehealth services and considers it an advantage for consumers. Those with high deductibles are especially sensitive …

Patient First Set For Halloween X-ray Tradition

Once again, Patient First is offering community members free X-rays of their trick-or-treat Halloween candy each evening until November 3. The goal is for kids to become familiar with the urgent care setting and the providers and staff, which may ease some anxiety should they return for another reason. Not to mention, looking at the caramel center of a candy bar is much more fun than looking at a broken bone. Possible recruitment for the …

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