Practice Management
Eric Ellis, MD Something is amiss in how smaller urgent care operators are reimbursed these days. This, likely, is not news to you and I’m sure my situation is not unique, but in the process of having opened a group of urgent care centers around Sacramento, CA over the past few years, I’ve been shocked about just how bad things are. When we opened our first center, I used a management company to help with …
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Urgent message: While pneumonia in general continues to be a common diagnosis in children in the United States, relatively few studies have sought to determine the signs and symptoms that help to predict occult bacterial pneumonia. Awareness of associated signs and symptoms may assist the urgent care provider in proceeding more quickly to a correct diagnosis. Alyssa Whited, PA-C and Christina Gardner, PA-C CASE PRESENTATION A 5-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented …
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Denials and rejections are inevitable in medical billing and can have drastic repercussions on the overall profit of an urgent care practice. Studies show almost 30% of medical bills are prone to errors. Avoid these common mistakes to improve the return on your investment. Eligibility Errors Avoidable eligibility errors are the biggest issue in urgent care billing. Over one-third of total visits with a rejection or denial are due to a lack of proper registration …
Read MoreThere’s been a bit of discussion in the urgent care industry (including in JUCM articles of late) concerning a perceived degradation of acuity in urgent care practice. The worry is that in the service of getting a maximum number of patients in and out the door quickly, some patients with more than minimally complicated complaints are advised to visit the closest emergency room when they could just as safely (and more cost-effectively) be treated in …
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The patient is a 38-year-old female who presents with persistent pain in her left thumb. She explains that she was bitten approximately 2 months prior. There is redness and swelling to the proximal phalanx area. The patient is febrile. View the x-ray and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next screen.
Read MoreHeather Real With today’s urgent care operators challenged with increasing expenses and stagnant reimbursements, many thoughtful entrepreneurs turn to ancillary services to drive more revenue into their business. These offerings are numerous and varying in nature. When determining if and what to add to an urgent care business, you’ll need to ask some crucial questions: As the competition for patient loyalty heats up, many operators are looking for ways to stand out. Some ways of …
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Kristin Hrabowy, DO; Jenna Santiago-Wickey, DO; Brianna Promutico, DO; Godwin Dogbey, PhD; and Elizabeth Gignac, DO, FACOEP Urgent message: “Sore throat” is among the most common presenting complaints in the urgent care setting. Accurate diagnosis—including appropriate use of diagnostic tools—is essential to ensure timely, appropriate treatment, including appropriate utilization of antibiotic agents to minimize risk for antibiotic resistance. Citation: Hrabowy K, Santiago-Wickey J, Promutico B, Dogbey B, Gignac E. Negative RADT and bacterial growth on …
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Urgent message: Urgent care operators of all sizes are poised for continued growth in 2023. In this post-COVID environment, look to shifting de novo ownership trends, a slowing of health system activity, and independent entrepreneurs regaining their courage as the driving factors. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc The COVID-19 pandemic is no longer the primary driver of decision-making for urgent care operators. While its impact over the past few years cannot be understated, other factors …
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A 35-year-old male presents with progressive pain in his ankle. He reports a history of a gunshot to the foot without any aftercare. Review the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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The patient is a 20-year-old female who presents complaining of 1 day of generalized weakness and vomiting. She has a history of alcohol abuse and denies chest pain, shortness of breath, lower extremity swelling, fevers, chills, or any infectious symptoms. View the ECG taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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