Practice Management
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.
Read More
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 …
Read More
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, …
Read More
Urgent Message: By understanding the symptoms of paroxysmal finger hematoma, clinicians can reduce patient anxiety and decrease unnecessary testing, as the condition is generally mild and has a favorable prognosis. Citation: Sanz Martinez E, Kranichfeld WH, Ceballos Y. Achenbach Syndrome: Diagnosis of Paroxysmal Finger Hematoma. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 19(1): 25-29 Introduction Paroxysmal finger hematoma (PFH), also known as Achenbach syndrome, is a vascular disorder of unknown etiology characterized by subcutaneous bleeding in the …
Read More
For as long as I can remember, Urgent Care has defined itself in the context of something else. We’re “more than primary care but less than emergency,” and “we’re like those drugstore clinics but we can do a lot more.” Or “we fill a gap in on-demand access.” I guess that is necessary when you are new and small and unknown. The problem with this kind of definition is that it’s so other-dependent. The way …
Read More
A national survey of 1,000 men conducted by Cleveland Clinic highlighted generational differences regarding men’s health. Nearly 40% of Gen Z men (born between 1997 and 2005) do not have a regular primary care physician. Consequently, many in this group are unsure if they’ve ever had their blood pressure, cholesterol, or weight checked. While 61% Gen X (born 1965-1980) and baby boomer (born before 1965) men say they get a yearly physical, just 32% of …
Read More
The prevalence of severe obesity among Americans, particularly among women, has risen over the past decade, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to a 2021-2023 survey involving 6,000 individuals, about 40% of U.S. adults are obese. Of those surveyed, nearly 10% had severe obesity, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. The rate of severe obesity increased from approximately 8% in the 2013-2014 survey to …
Read More
A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that young individuals with hypertension may benefit from low-level tragus stimulation (LL‐TS). The device-based therapy is a noninvasive method of tragus stimulation with an ear clip, targeting the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. In the small study of 40 patients aged 18 to 39 years, LL‐TS was applied on the intervention group (IG) for 3 months on the tragus (20 Hz, 1 mA, 1 hour per day). …
Read More
A new nasal formulation of the flu vaccine has been approved for at-home administration for individuals 2 through 49 years of age, according to an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The vaccine will still require a prescription, and it won’t be available until next year. Patients can order FluMist nasal spray directly from an online pharmacy. Those who choose the online option will be screened with an eligibility assessment, and if appropriate, …
Read More
A nonprofit wastewater monitoring network has found that enterovirus D68, a respiratory virus that can cause paralysis in children, is spreading across the United States. In rare cases, D68 has been linked to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) , a polio-like illness causing severe weakness in the arms and legs. Historically, September is the typical month for seeing AFM cases, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins told NBC News. While enterovirus is common, the D68 strain first …
Read More