Practice Management
Phyllis Dobberstein, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, CEMC, CCC We are heading into fall, and fall starts with updates to the ICD-10-CM codes. The most recent changes went into effect on October 1, 2024. There is no grace period. Because ICD-10-CM codes are date-specific, claims prior to date of service October 1, 2024, need to use the codes for that time period, switching over to the update on the exact day. While ICD-10-CM codes are updated semi-annually, …
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Urgent Message: Fractures of the distal radius, commonly referred to as Colles fractures, most often occur after a fall onto an outstretched hand. Their immediate urgent care management may require only splinting or a same day emergency department visit depending on certain factors. Citation: Bunstine JL, Hartz C. Urgent Care Diagnosis and Management of Distal Radial (Colles) Fractures. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 19(1):15-19 Editor’s Note: While the images presented here are authentic, the patient …
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Public Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Use in Healthcare Take Home Point: Patient and healthcare workers surveyed were generally accepting of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine. Respondents did express some concern about the potential impact of AI on the accuracy of medical decision-making, however. Citation: Thornton N, Binesmael A, Horton T, et al. AI in health care: what do the public and NHS staff think? The Health Foundation. Published July 31, 2024. Accessed …
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Did you know the average person spends over 2 hours on social media every day?[1] While it’s clear that social media is here to stay, the impacts of social media trends on clinicians and patients alike is probably less apparent to you—but it is undoubtedly the reality we face. Today, 8 in 10 internet users search for health information online,[2] and 74% of these people use social media.[3] Perhaps more surprisingly, in a 2023 survey, …
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According to the United States Department of Justice, the most common prescription drugs that are misused fall into 1 of 3 categories: opioid pain relievers/narcotics; depressants; and stimulants. Experity EMR data encapsulating 17,526,083 prescriptions written at 3,037 urgent care centers from January 1 to August 20, 2024, shows the vast majority of urgent care centers do not prescribe these medications at all, and of those that do, these medications represent a very small percentage of …
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Urgent Message: It is important to quickly obtain an electrocardiogram in patients presenting with chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome, even for those who are young and without traditional coronary risk factors. Citation: Krauss WC. Could This Young Patient Really Have a STEMI? A Case Report of a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 19 (1):21-23 Key Words: chest pain, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, acute coronary syndrome Abstract …
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A 30-year-old man presents to urgent care with lateral ankle pain and swelling after a foot inversion injury he sustained while hiking. A mortise view x-ray of the ankle is ordered. Review the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the following page.
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A 16-year-old male with a history of orchiopexy presents with syncope. He denies chest pain or shortness of breath. An ECG is obtained. View the ECG captured above and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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A 38-year-old man presents to urgent care for a pruritic rash that developed on his feet over the last week. The rash is worse on his left foot than the right. He frequently works out and showers at the gym before going to work. On examination, fine, powdery, scaly plaques are seen on his soles and insteps. He otherwise appears well and has no systemic symptoms. View the image below and consider what your diagnosis …
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Urgent Message: There are an estimated 250,000 visits annually associated with pediatric headaches in the United States, 84% of which are not treated according to best evidence-based practice (EBP). The development of an EBP headache and migraine pathway in a pediatric urgent care improved access to evidence-based guidelines and increased clinician confidence and knowledge regarding the diagnosis and management of headaches in children. Sarah J. Nembu, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CPNP-AC; Melissa R. Penkalski, DNP, APRN, …
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