Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

After Helene, Ballad Health Opens 24 Hour UC to Close Gaps

Ballad Health announced the opening of a 24-hour Advanced Urgent Care clinic in Erwin, Tennessee, to address access issues after flooding overtook a local hospital during Hurricane Helene, according to WJHL. On September 27, more than 50 workers and patients fled to the roof of Unicoi County Hospital for an emergency evaluation where first-responder rescue helicopters transported everyone to safety as flood waters encroached on the building. Since then, the hospital has been closed indefinitely. …

AFC Adds 3 Urgent Medcare Locations to its Portfolio

American Family Care (AFC), has acquired 3 Urgent Medcare locations, previously owned by CRH Healthcare. The newly acquired clinics are located in greater Huntsville, Alabama. AFC plans to complete the openings of more than 40 new urgent care, primary care, and occupational medicine locations this year, following the openings of 64 rooftops in 17 states last year, according to a press release. In all, the company has 370 locations. CRH Healthcare has 85 locations in …

Urgent Cares in Indiana See Rise in Pneumonia Cases

Providers are concerned about a dramatic rise in pneumonia cases in Indianapolis, according to Mirror Indy. The Indiana state health department does not track the disease, but 2 of IU Health’s urgent care locations in Indianapolis reported a 200% increase in cases. The locations saw 43 cases of pneumonia in September, up from 14 in August, which includes 15 pediatric cases in September, compared to just 1 in August. The department of health sent an …

Majority of Adults With ADHD Had Hard Time Finding Medications

Roughly 15.5 million U.S. adults have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and more than 71% of them reported difficulty obtaining their ADHD medication during October–November 2023 because it was in short supply, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ADHD symptoms typically begin in childhood, however, 55% of those with the condition said they had been diagnosed as adults. Approximately one-third of adults reported taking prescription stimulant ADHD medication during the …

Health Systems Break Ties With UnitedHealthcare

Several major health systems are struggling to reach contract agreements with UnitedHealthcare (UHC) to provide care services for members covered by the insurer. Recently, Duke Health posted in a blog that its UHC reimbursement is below the 25th percentile among similar hospitals in North Carolina, which it calls “unacceptable” as it continues contracting talks with UHC. If no agreement is achieved, Duke will be out-of-network as of November 1 for several health plan products, including …

High Dose Stimulants Present Elevated Risk for Mania

A recent study of adult emergency department (ED) admissions published in Psychiatry Online found that patients taking high doses of prescription amphetamine drugs such as Adderall (>30 mg dextroamphetamine equivalents) have a 5.28-fold increased risk for developing psychosis or mania. Researchers compared 1,374 cases of individuals presenting with first-episode psychosis or mania to 2,748 control patients with a psychiatric hospitalization for other conditions. Data analysis suggests that 81% of cases of psychosis or mania potentially …

Arm Position Matters In Blood Pressure Measurement

A randomized clinical trial of 133 adults published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that arm position can have an effect on blood pressure (BP) readings. When subjects supported their arm on their lap, it resulted in systolic BP readings overestimated by 3.9 mm Hg and diastolic BP readings overestimated by 4.0 mm Hg. Additionally, an unsupported arm at the subject’s side overestimated systolic BP by 6.5 mm Hg and diastolic BP by 4.4 mm Hg. …

Oral Antibiotic Prescriptions Trending Down

From 2011 to 2019, the rate of oral antibiotic prescriptions filled at U.S. outpatient pharmacies declined by 13%. The number of prescriptions dropped from 877 per 1,000 people in 2011 to 765 per 1,000 people in 2018 and 2019. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, a total of 2.4 billion oral antibiotic prescriptions were dispensed over this time period. The most significant reduction (-25%) …

GLP-1 Drugs May Have Potential For Addiction Treatment

Patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs like semaglutide for diabetes may have a lower risk of opioid drug overdose, according to a new study led by National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, MD, published in JAMA Network Open. Previous empirical studies and anecdotal reports of fewer drug cravings among individuals with type 2 diabetes and comorbid opioid use disorder who use semaglutide inspired the study. Because the GLP-1 drugs are relatively new, there …

CMS Offers Advance Payment For Providers After Hurricane Helene

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is offering accelerated and advance Medicare payments for providers affected by Hurricane Helene. Those in disaster zones may request the payments individually with their unique National Provider Identifier to improve cash flow issues resulting from impaired operations that might be preventing providers from submitting claims and receiving Medicare payments. CMS notes Medicare providers that need assistance should contact their assigned Medicare Administrative Contractor. It’s …

Login to JUCM