Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Respiratory Illnesses Surge Across Most of the US

It’s no surprise that the prevalence of respiratory illnesses continued its upward slant in the waning days of 2023. Respiratory illness indicators surged across two-thirds of the nation, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), particularly impacting the Midwest and Northeast, where COVID cases were prevalent. COVID hospitalizations rose by 16.7%, causing 29,000 admissions, contributing to a 10% increase in deaths. The Midwest and Northeast reported moderate to …

FDA Warns of Skin Infections After Med Spa Treatments

A recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning cautioned consumers and medical professionals about adverse events associated with injection lipolysis—a series of injections meant to break down fat cells in the areas around the injection sites. They are often delivered in spa-type settings as cosmetic procedures. The agency said the applications are sold online under the names Aqualyx, Lipodissolve, Lipo Lab, and Kabelline and are not FDA-approved treatments. Side effects include permanent scars, serious infections, …

Sterling Opens New Locations in Idaho, Set to Enter New Markets

Sterling Urgent Care recently cut ribbons on 4 new locations in Boise, Idaho, with an additional location set to open its doors in the state in spring of 2024, according to a press release. The center openings will bring the total number of Sterling rooftops to 19 locations across Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, with a new entry into Montana planned for the future. The urgent care operator has a unique model in that it’s owned …

If One Spouse Has Hypertension, The Other Spouse May Have It Too

A recent study compared the concordance of hypertension within heterosexual couples and found that in as many as 47% of all hypertension cases, when one spouse has hypertension, so does the other spouse. Within the 4 countries studied, researchers observed a high overall prevalence of hypertension, ranging from 40% to 65% for both wives and husbands separately. At the same time, they observed a high prevalence of spousal concordant hypertension, ranging from 20% to more …

State Laws Guarantee PTO for Employees In 2024

Starting January 1, 2024, employers in several states are implementing new laws regarding time off for employees. For example, in Minnesota, employers must provide paid leave under the earned sick and safe time law. Those working at least 80 hours in a year within the state—including part-time employees—are eligible for the benefit. An employee now earns a guaranteed 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked up to a maximum of 48 …

Study Shows Doxy PEP Did Not Reduce STIs

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine represents the first clinical trial to test whether doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) would prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among cisgender women. Researchers considered 224 subjects assigned to a doxycycline-PEP group and 225 to a standard-care group over 12 months. A total of 109 incident STIs occurred: 50 in the doxycycline-PEP group and 59 in the standard-care group. Chlamydia accounted for 85 of the STIs (78%) with 35 …

The Challenges of Billing Out-of-Network

Phyllis Dobberstein, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, CEMC, CCC One of the biggest challenges for an urgent care is billing insurance as a non-participating provider. When opening a new practice or adding a clinic, completed credentialing and contracting is essential and has a direct impact on the overall success for a new business. Opening without effective dates may result in cash flow shortages due to the fact that most health plans will not offer retroactive effective dates. Additionally, …

Recharge Your Batteries

“Driving Change” is our overarching convention theme that we build on each year. When you are busy Driving Change in healthcare delivery, there aren’t a lot of breaks. In just the normal day-to-day of Urgent Care, you are anticipating, meeting, and exceeding the needs of your patients. You are doing the same for your occupational medicine employer customers. You are doing the same for your colleagues. You are doing the same for your strategic partners. …

‘What Happens If We Do Nothing?’ Is Still the Right Question

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FACEP, FCUCM “It only hurts right here,” Rich told me, pointing to a tender spot on his ribs under near his arm pit. I palpated his chest wall and observed as he winced when I hit the spot. “I just need to make sure I’m okay to go back to work.” Rich was middle-aged and had a mustache with hints of grey. He was a large man, but his potbelly was …

35-Year-Old With Heel Pain After a Fall

A 35-year-old man presents to urgent care complaining of severe posterior heel pain after a fall. He works for a local roofing company and fell a few feet from a ladder, landing on a hard surface. View the images taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the following page.

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