Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Improving Chart Closure Time in a Pediatric Urgent Care Setting

Urgent Message: Quality improvement projects can increase the percentage of charts closed within 1 hour of patient discharge at pediatric urgent and express care locations to ensure timely documentation. Key Words: Electronic Health Records, Documentation, Pediatrics, Ambulatory Care, Patient Safety, Quality Improvement Kileen Fernandez, MS, APRN-CPNP-PC; Lisa Ziemnik, MD, FAAP; Beth Williams, MBA, BSIE; Abiodun Omoloja, MD, MBA, CPE, FASN, FAMIA; Jennifer Morris, MS, APRN-CNP-PC, RNC-NIC; Maddie Mock, BSME; Thomas Geglein, BSN, RN, MBA; Kimberly …

Why IFU Limitations Matter in Urgent Care Lab Testing

Urgent Message: Urgent care teams can take practical steps to safeguard quality for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived testing by following detailed Instructions for Use information. Key Words: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments; CLIA-Waived Testing; Certificate of Waiver Cathy Bohrer, MT(ASCP) Laboratory tests commonly used in urgent care are only reliable when their Instructions for Use (IFU)—including any limitations—are followed. For urgent care leaders, this isn’t just about compliance with federal regulations. Patient outcomes, safety, and …

4-Year-Old Male With Elbow Pain Following a Fall from Monkey Bars

A 4-year-old male presents to urgent care with a swollen, painful right elbow. The mother reports that the child had a witnessed fall from the monkey bars 1 hour prior to arrival. He fell onto his outstretched right hand, was in immediate pain that has not subsided, and has refused to let anyone touch his arm. On initial examination, vital signs are stable, and patient is afebrile. Swelling is noted over the right elbow, and …

53-Year-Old Woman With Dark Patchy Spots on Face and Neck

A 53-year-old woman visits urgent care for dark patchy spots on her neck and face that have been spreading over the past 3 months. The lesions are not painful or itchy, she denies exposure to allergens or irritants, and has no systemic symptoms. The patient states that sun exposure darkens the spots further and she has not tried any treatments to date. On examination she appears well with normal signs; hyperpigmented gray macular patches are …

60-Year-Old With Prior Myocardial Infarction

A 60-year-old male with a past medical history of prior myocardial infarction (MI) is presenting with left-sided chest pain for 1 day. He reports nonadherence to his clopidogrel for 2 weeks after running out of his medications. View the ECG and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.

Abstracts in Urgent Care – January 2026

Prevention of RSV Disease in Healthy Infants Take Home Point: In this early phase, drug-manufacturer-funded clinical trial, a single dose of clesrovimab reduced the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated medically attended lower respiratory infection and RSV-associated hospitalization, with a safety profile similar to that of a placebo. Citation: Zar HJ, Simões E, Madhi S, et. al. Clesrovimab in Infants and Children at Increased Risk for Severe RSV Disease. New Eng J Med. 2025:393, 13;1292-1303. …

Management of Acute Opioid Withdrawal in a Patient With an Unknown Prescribing History: A Case Report

Urgent Message: Opioid prescribing in urgent care can present difficulties, particularly in patients with an unclear prescription history where added caution is needed. There are a number of ways to reduce the risks associated with opioid prescribing and to initiate the treatment of opioid withdrawal in the urgent care setting. Jacob Mather, BSc MBChB Key Words: Addiction, Opioid Withdrawal, Prescribing, Urgent Care Abstract Introduction: We report a complex case of a 37-year-old woman presenting to …

Is Your Urgent Care Ready for the 2026 ADA Mandate?

Urgent Message: Urgent care facilities must ensure their medical diagnostic equipment and staff training protocols meet new ADA accessibility standards by the July 8, 2026, deadline. Key Words: Americans with Disabilities Act; Medical Diagnostic Equipment; Accessible Exam Tables; Staff Training; Urgent Care Compliance Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Ensuring equal access to healthcare services isn’t just a goal, it’s a legal mandate. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)1 assures everyone has equal access to healthcare …

Raising the Bar: Why Accreditation Matters in Urgent Care

Lisa H. Bishop It’s a familiar story. A friend was recently on vacation and visited a small, rural “urgent care” with a 2-day history of nasal congestion and a scratchy throat—no fever, no sinus tenderness, and a reassuring exam. She left with 4 prescriptions: a Z-Pak, a Medrol Dose Pack, a narcotic cough syrup, and Diflucan, “just in case the antibiotic causes yeast.” She reached out to me, concerned that she received 4 prescriptions for …

Commercial Reimbursement In Urgent Care

While examining 17,410,492 commercially insured visits in the Experity EMR from November 1, 2024, through October 31, 2025, we calculated zero-balance net revenue per visit (NRV) for urgent care by state. NRV represents total payments from both patients and insurers when the claim is closed, and it includes evaluation/management and ancillary codes. Data include commercial plans and third‑party managed Medicaid and Medicare but exclude self-pay, workers’ compensation, employer-paid services, motor vehicle accidents, and traditional Medicare …

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