Practice Management
A surprising number of women—nearly 1 in 4—say they have experienced unfair or disrespectful treatment in healthcare settings within the past 2 years, according to survey results from KFF. The survey of 5,055 women and 1,191 men showed 23% of women reported recent negative interactions with providers, and 18% of men reported the same. Weight was the most commonly cited reason (15%) for perceiving disrespect or unfairness, followed by age, gender, and race. Black and …
Read More
While many urgent care patients present in the early days of spring with the common symptoms of stuffy nose and sneezing, an allergic rhinitis diagnosis can be somewhat nuanced, according to a review in JAMA Network. Allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergic rhinitis, perennial allergic rhinitis, and non-allergic rhinitis each have different typical symptoms, and therefore, there can be differences in treatment, according to the authors. In a follow-up, MedPage Today reports the majority of allergic rhinitis …
Read More
Patients with underlying medical conditions (UMCs) were more likely to be hospitalized for influenza than those without UMCs, according to a retrospective study across 4 flu seasons published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Among 1,403 patients hospitalized with influenza at least once within a season, flu-related hospitalization was highest for patients with congestive heart failure (adjusted rate ratio, 4.2, 95% confidence interval: 3.6–4.9), followed by those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Multiple UMCs …
Read More
The demand for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications for weight loss has surged, in part because there is a large population of patients who could potentially benefit from them. Meanwhile, advocates are concerned about the recent widespread distribution of compounded versions of the drugs. Since compounded versions often expect patients to measure doses from vials and use syringes for delivery—instead of premeasured autoinjector pens—compounded options can lead to dosing errors. But the advantage of compounded GLP1s …
Read More
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the Visby Medical Women’s Sexual Health Test, the first at-home test for diagnosing 3 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in females: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The hope is that the option will increase the use of testing and thus help prevent transmission of these STIs. No prescription is required, and the test can be used for those with or without symptoms. Each single-use test kit includes a self-collected …
Read More
Phyllis Dobberstein, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, CEMC, CCC Hard to believe that the new evaluation and management (E/M) guidelines have been in place for urgent care for 4 years. These guidelines created by the American Medical Association (AMA) were a complete shift from what was previously published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Instead of bullet points, levels are determined by the work involved in treating a patient. E/M codes can be leveled by …
Read More
Alan Ayers, MBA, MAcc Urgent Message: Legislation for the licensure of urgent care centers has been enacted or proposed in 4 states for 2025, creating state administrative offices that can further define rules affecting operations. Citation: Ayers AA. State Legislation Could Impact Urgent Care Facilities. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(7):43-45 Several states have recently proposed rules calling for the regulation of urgent care centers. While most of the bills have a long journey ahead …
Read More
Urgent Message: Metronidazole, even during short courses of therapy, can result in disabling neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is important for clinicians to be knowledgeable about these relatively uncommon but serious adverse medication reactions. Faren Clum, MD; Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FCUCM, FACEP Citation: Clum F, Russell J. Recurrent Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in a Patient With Repeated Exposure to Metronidazole: A Case Report. J Urgent Care Med. 2025; 19(7):37-41 Abstract Introduction: Metronidazole is a commonly prescribed antibiotic. …
Read More
Urgent Message: Spontaneous pneumothorax (PTX) occurs unpredictably. Many patients with spontaneous pneumothorax may initially present to urgent care, so it is important for clinicians to include it in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with acute chest pain and/or dyspnea. Rarely, a spontaneous pneumothorax can progress to a tension pneumothorax if the diagnosis is delayed. Vrunda Patel, BS; Kevin Radecki, MD Citation: Patel V, Radecki, K. Urgent Care Evaluation and Management of Spontaneous Pneumothorax. J …
Read More
As many of you know, early last year we announced my plans to retire as CEO of the Urgent Care Association (UCA). While that’s still happening, I wanted to share why filling the role is taking such a long time. Hiring the CEO is one of the most important responsibilities of your elected Board of Directors, and it’s a responsibility they each take very seriously. They are committed to getting the best leader possible to …
Read More