Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Urgent Care Increases HIV Testing: Study Intervention

By using an educational and EHR intervention, Intermountain Health significantly increased HIV co-testing for patient encounters involving testing for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia (GC/CT) in urgent care (UC) and emergency departments (ED). Urgent care HIV co-testing increased from 29% in the preintervention period to 39% during the 24-month intervention—from April 2023 through March 2024. Also, ED co-testing rates increased from 12% to 25% during the intervention as well. The analysis of 18,783 encounters published in Clinical …

Yet Another Reason To Eat A Decent Breakfast: Reduced Fracture Risk

On busy days, many people choose to skip breakfast in order to get out the door on time or similarly end up eating dinner late because they’re otherwise occupied. Turns out, those dietary habits could pose a risk for osteoporotic fracture, according to a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. The study of 927,130 Japanese adults, followed over 2.6 years, tracked 28,196 major fractures, with an incidence rate of 10.8 per 1,000 …

Wisconsin, Ohio Confirm New Measles Cases

In Wisconsin, health officials have confirmed several new measles cases, raising the state’s outbreak total to 24 as of September 2, 2025, with 2 people hospitalized (8.3%). All of the cases are in unvaccinated people, but no deaths have been confirmed. More than half of cases are among those aged 5-17 years; 33.3% are in those over age 18; and 12.5% are in those under age 5. Officials say the ongoing investigation indicates that measles …

Are Flu Shots A Worthwhile Business For The Upcoming Season?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted its recommendations for the 2025–2026 flu season, which are largely the same from years past. Among the key changes are: the approval of the FluMist nasal spray influenza vaccine for self-administration or caregiver administration; and the expansion of the approved age threshold for the Flublok vaccine from age 18 years or older to 9 years or older. Overall, the routine annual flu vaccine is recommended for …

Red Flags When Selling Your Urgent Care Practice

Urgent Message: Offers to buy urgent care centers typically follow due diligence processes, and the assets are valued within predictable market ranges. Offers to purchase a center that fall outside usual and customary parameters should be evaluated with scrutiny and skepticism. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Selling your urgent care business may be an opportunity to reap a return on your investment. However, there could be buyers looking to take advantage of your enthusiasm and …

High-Pressure Paint Gun Finger Injury: A Case Report

Urgent Message: While the initial clinical presentation of a high-pressure paint gun injury may not elicit concern, it is truly high-risk and requires emergent recognition and surgical intervention. Key words: High-Pressure Injection Injury, Paint Gun Injury, Finger Trauma, Pyogenic Tenosynovitis, Occupational Injury, Subcutaneous Paint Infiltration, Finger Compartment Syndrome, Finger Emergency Abstract Introduction: High-pressure injection injuries of the hand are rare but represent true surgical emergencies. Despite often appearing deceptively mild on initial presentation, these injuries …

Timely Filing: What Every Practice Needs to Know

Nikki Benedict Timely filing is a critical concept in medical billing that directly impacts claim reimbursement. Despite its importance, the specific requirements and terminology can vary across payer contracts, making it essential for billing teams to understand both the general rules and the payer-specific nuances. When reviewing a payer contract, timely filing requirements may be outlined under the following sections: Providers can find Medicare and Medicaid timely filing requirements by consulting Centers for Medicare & …

Saying Goodbye

My friends, we have come a long way together in the last 5 years! Let me remind you of how far. My first JUCM column in my second term as CEO at the Urgent Care Association (UCA) in July 2020 was an admonishment to us all: We had to come together if we were ever going to create change on a national level. Over the next 5 years, you did precisely that. Through tremendous adversity, …

HbA1c Improves For Those Using AI App That Predicts Glucose Response

An artificial intelligence (AI) tool combined with real-time biometric tracking and human coaching produced significant clinical improvements for adults with type 2 diabetes in a Cleveland Clinic study published in NEJM Catalyst. The intervention delivered personalized nutrition and lifestyle guidance through an AI-powered app that analyzed health data from wearable sensors and devices, which monitored blood glucose, weight, blood pressure, activity, and sleep. App recommendations were then based on predicted glucose responses to meals. The …

11-year-old With Heel Pain While Running

An 11-year-old male presents to urgent care complaining of bilateral heel pain, right worse than left. The patient denies recent trauma and reports experiencing increased pain when running. He has not tried any treatment and denies any history of similar episodes in the past. Physical examination reveals bilateral pes planus and decreased dorsiflexion of the feet with weightbearing lunge against the wall. Pain is elicited with calcaneal compression test. The patient is noted to be …

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