Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

New Outlook Considers 3 Total MMR Vaccines, Starting at 6 Months

Pediatric infectious disease experts are considering revising recommendations to encourage an early, additional dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for 6- to 11-month-old infants in high-risk areas, according to MedPage Today. The shift would change the 2-dose regimen per lifetime to 3 doses, while also getting an earlier start. Public health leaders recently discussed in a JAMA perspective the possibility of expanding vaccine recommendations for infants who live in regions with known …

Some Patients Feel Disrespected in Healthcare Settings

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 …

Allergic Rhinitis Rarely Emerges in Adulthood

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 …

Underlying Conditions Increase Rates of Flu Hospitalization

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 …

Urgent Care Weight Loss Programs Weakened By GLP-1 Costs

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 …

Self-Collected Test Identifies 3 Sexually Transmitted Infections

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 …

Refresher: Guidelines for E/M Coding

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 …

State Legislation Could Impact Urgent Care Facilities

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 …

Recurrent Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in a Patient With Repeated Exposure to Metronidazole: A Case Report

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. …

Urgent Care Evaluation and Management of Spontaneous Pneumothorax

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 …

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