Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

The Listening Revolution: Change Management Considerations with Ambient AI

Urgent Message: The ultimate goal of ambient AI is to reclaim time for patient care by offloading burdensome administrative processes. Building trust is the first of several success factors in this revolution. Keywords: ambient AI; medical scribe; clinical documentation; EHR workflow; implementation barriers; change management Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Urgent care providers face immense demands: high patient volumes, tight schedules, and the ongoing expectation to deliver exceptional care. Yet amid these pressures, documentation continues …

Missed Opportunities in STI Test Bundling

An analysis of 70,915,524 visits logged across ~3,600 urgent care centers in the Experity EMR from January 1, 2024, through November 22, 2025, reveals a critical disconnect between testing realities and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines advising concurrent screening for HIV and syphilis when testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea (CT/NG). The most glaring omission is syphilis. As the table illustrates, fewer than 45% of patients tested for CT/NG who used health insurance—which paid …

Mitigating Coding Compliance Risks of AI Documentation Tools

Three types of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are quickly moving to the urgent care exam room: real-time transcription; real-time coding; and clinical decision support systems.[1] They promise to reduce clinician burden per visit, improve documentation in the medical record, reduce cost per episode of care, and improve reimbursement. They may create challenges related to clinical ownership, medical decision making, and compliance, however.[2] Notes and code suggestions generated by AI for urgent care patients are likely …

61-Year-Old With Chronic Kidney Disease

A 61-year-old male with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease presents to urgent care on a Tuesday afternoon with 1 week of increased weakness. He says he’s “feeling off balance.” He denies chest pain, shortness of breath, or recent illness. An ECG is ordered. View the ECG and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.

Physician, Heal Thyself

Hal P. Kramer, MD After 41 years of clinical medicine, 2025 became my “physician, heal thyself” year. I became a patient with a story. Without challenge or feedback, many of us continue to repeat the same physical exams for a variety of complaints. We all develop our tools of the trade. However, we must remember that medicine is never all-known. Old ways can lead to new ways with a questioning and inquisitive mind. How many …

Standing Together in Washington—and Beyond

Steve Sellars February always seems to arrive with a sense of motion. The year is no longer “new,” plans begin to take shape, and the work ahead becomes clearer. For Urgent Care, that momentum feels especially meaningful right now. During the first week of February, the Urgent Care Association (UCA) convened leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., for our 2026 Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. It was a powerful reminder of what happens when …

Histoplasmosis Outbreak: Lung Infection Symptoms Similar to Common Pneumonias

At least 35 people have been sickened in a histoplasmosis outbreak in Tennessee in the past 3 months with 1 potentially related death, according to state health officials and a local news report. The Tennessee Department of Health has not found a clear source of exposure but warns the Histoplasma fungus is commonly found in soil throughout the state, making it difficult to prevent exposure. People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk …

APPs in Michigan Vote To Unionize

Advanced practice professionals (APPs) in the University of Michigan Health−Sparrow network have voted in favor of unionizing. The network includes at least 5 urgent care centers, according to its website. The new union local covers 213 nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and certified nurse midwives employed by the health system. A representative told the local Lansing State Journal that having a union means being able to negotiate for the best patient care practices. Overall, …

Flu Season Brings Local Shortages of Oseltamivir

Just as high flu activity has patients and providers on edge, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists(ASHP) is noting a drug shortage of some types of oseltamivir oral capsules and powders. Likewise, GoodRx data through January 20, 2026, shows a peak of oseltamivir fills in the last week of December 2025, followed by a more recent drop, possibly indicating that the medications could be in short supply and/or indicating fewer prescriptions overall. Federal agencies state …

Health Systems Ask For Clarity To Deter Violence Against ED Workers

Several healthcare organizations have asked the Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in a letter to provide specific written guidance on appropriate emergency department (ED) signage that would notify patients of programs or policies regarding violence against healthcare workers. In previous interactions, the organizations say CMS discouraged this type of signage if the signs “could deter individuals from remaining for medical screening examinations and stabilizing treatment.” However, CMS didn’t clarify what type of sign …

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