Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Escalating Back Pain Leading to a Diagnosis of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in Urgent Care: A Case Report

Urgent Message: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS), including ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), may present with predominant back pain or other non-chest-pain symptoms. Additionally, electrocardiogram findings in cases of coronary occlusion may not always meet STEMI criteria. It is important to include myocardial ischemia and ACS in the differential for back pain presentations, especially when the pain is not reproducible. Sarah Mannon OMS-3; Lauren Schuermann OMS-3; Michael B. Weinstock, MD Citation: Mannon S, Schuermann L, Weinstock M. …

Abstracts in Urgent Care – July/August 2024

Use of NEXUS II Clinical Decision Tool for Blunt Head Injuries in Elderly Patients Take Home Point: Older patients with blunt head-injury are at high risk of sustaining serious intracranial injuries even with low-risk mechanisms of injury, such as ground-level falls. Citation: Mower W, Akie T, Morizadeh N, et. al. Blunt Head Injury in the Elderly: Analysis of the NEXUS II Injury Cohort. Ann Emerg Med. 2024 May;83(5):457-466. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.01.003 Relevance: Older adults are known …

The Urgent Need for STI Testing in Urgent Care Centers

Urgent Message: With STI rates rising, urgent care centers have a unique opportunity to address a pressing public health need and increase patient volumes and revenue by adding STI testing services. Citation: Ayers A. The Urgent Need for STI Testing in Urgent Care Centers. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 18(10)39-42 Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day.1 …

2024 Urgent Care’s Top 100 by Number of Locations

Alan Ayers, MBA, MAcc The following table summarizes the 100 largest urgent care operators by number of locations as of May 2024, based on data provided by National Urgent Care Realty and Experity. Because of the significant number of private operators that also operate facilities with hospital partners, this year’s list delineates the breakdown of health-system-affiliated locations. Data is reported by the parent entity as opposed to regional brands, partnerships, or affiliations. Of the nation’s …

Fast Track Improves Patient Flow and Wait Times in the Pediatric Urgent Care: A Quality Improvement Project

Urgent Message: Fast trackmodels aim to improve patient throughput metrics for low-acuity patients. In this quality improvement project, a process for fast track in the pediatric urgent care significantly improved patient flow. Hayley L. Ross, MD; Sandra P. Spencer, MD; Traci Ertle, MSN, RN, CPEN; Anthony Watkins, MSN, RN, NE-BC; Mark Feldman, MD; Derrek Massanari, MD, MPH; Bernadette Johnson, MD; Alexandria J. Wiersma, MD Citation: Ross HL, Spencer SP, Ertle T, Watkins A, Feldman M, …

Atypical Chest X-ray Appearance in a Patient with Cough: A Case Report

Urgent Message: The azygos lobe may be apparent on a chest x-ray and is a relatively uncommon, yet benign finding, that is important to distinguish from other etiologies. The azygos lobe is an embryological remnant and is usually incidental in nature. Citation: Richmond C, Mancuso A. Atypical Chest X-ray Appearance in a Patient with Cough: A Case Report. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 18(10):23-25 Keywords: azygos lobe, normal variant, chest x-ray Abstract Introduction: Recognition of …

Fever of Unknown Origin: A Case Report of Babesiosis Infection

Batsheva R. Sholomson, DO; Danielle Langan, DO; Abbas Husain, MD; Shorok Hassan, DO Urgent Message: With the incidence of babesiosis rising, clinicians are encouraged to consider the totality of presentation including risk factors based on endemic region, recent travel or tick bite, and clinical signs and symptoms. Citation: Sholomson BR, Langan D, Husain A, Hassan S. Fever of Unknown Origin: A Case Report of Babesiosis Infection. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; 18(10):17-21 Key Words: Babesiosis, …

Urgent Care Management of Scaphoid Fracture

Naushair Hussain, DO; Shahmeer Hussain, DO; Clinton A. Hartz, MD Urgent Message: Scaphoid fractures most frequently occur at the mid aspect, or “waist,” of the scaphoid, and require about 10 weeks of prolonged immobilization before slow return to normal function. Such fractures have high risk of complications and subsequent chronic pain and/or disability if not appropriately immobilized. Citation: Hussain N, Hussain S, Hartz C. Urgent Care Management of Scaphoid Fracture. J Urgent Care Med. 2024; …

Secret Sauce

Amazon. Dollar General. Berkshire Hathaway. JPMorgan Chase. Walgreens. Walmart (insert echo here). It’s been an interesting few years watching these giants try to do what you do. The biggest tragedy of all of this is the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent by these folks that could have been saved if someone on their end had simply picked up the phone and talked to one of us. No one called the Urgent …

‘As Little as Necessary…’– A Mantra for Urgent Care

“Do as little as necessary, not as much as possible.” This is the mantra I recite throughout every urgent care shift without fail—that’s how mantras work after all. Hearing the word “mantra” might conjure images of a placid-faced yogi seated in the lotus position for some, but a mantra needn’t serve only spiritual practice. A well-conceived mantra can also prove useful when deployed in any context where we might benefit from being reminded frequently to …