Urgent message: While common perceptions are that the plague—the infamous microorganism that claimed the lives of countless millions in ancient times—has been eradicated in modern society, infections still occur, even in the United States. While the odds of encountering a patient infected with the plague are thin, its presentation of

Urgent message: Septic arthritis can lead to significant morbidity if not treated in a timely manner. Bacteria within the synovial space can lead to rapid joint destruction and irreversible loss of function. When patients present to the urgent care center with a red, hot, swollen, painful joint, every attempt must

Urgent message: The simplest explanation for a mundane symptom may not always reflect the correct diagnosis. Urgent care providers should consider all the possibilities in order to reach the correct conclusion as early as possible, or risk missing a more serious underlying diagnosis. Introduction Sometimes a simple complaint results in

Urgent message: Ideally, paid advertising should show a return on investment based on the revenue it generates. However, revenue-based metrics are difficult to prove using social media, in which “likes” are more valuable in identifying fully engaged patients than generating direct sales. When it comes to social media marketing channels,

Urgent message: Statistics indicate there is an epidemic of mental, physical, and emotional burnout of employees in the United States, painting a troubling picture that urgent care operators must proactively manage in order to assure continued patient satisfaction. Many of us have been there: getting out of bed in the

Urgent Message: As “influencers in chief” charged with assuring the types of patient experiences that create patient loyalty and word-of-mouth, urgent care providers must understand the relationship between patient experience metrics, financial and clinical outcomes, care team coordination, and time spent with the patient. As value-based reimbursement becomes more prevalent

Electronic health record vendor eClinicalWorks’ has been fined $155 million for violating the False Claims Act. The company’s misfortune could be the urgent care industry’s (and patients’) gain, however, by making it easier for healthcare providers to switch from one EHR system to another. eClinicalWorks was sued over claims that

Urgent message: Urgent care providers must maintain a high index of suspicion for life-threatening conditions when assessing patients whose self-reporting of symptoms can be vague and nonspecific. Introduction Elderly patients often present for medical evaluation with vague complaints, oftentimes requiring the provider to obtain additional history from family and caregivers.