Harris Fleming, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

New Data Present a Different View of How Helpful ARB’s Are—or Aren’t—with COVID

Last spring, published research suggested angiotensin receptor blockers could lower the risk for ventilation and vasopressors in men with COVID-19. Just this week, however, an article released by the Journal of the American Medical Association noted that ARBs do not improve outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The trial included 787 patients at 17 hospitals in Australia and India and covered the period from May 2020 to November 2021. The vast majority of patients (n=778), …

Be Prepared—Holiday Gatherings Are Likely to Beget a Deluge of Viral Infections (and More)

Health systems expect to see sharp increases in patients presenting with symptoms of multiple respiratory infections in the coming days and weeks. Experts interviewed for a report on CNN suggest that hospitals already straining to keep up with rates of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 could be hit with a wave of patients newly infected after gathering with family and friends over the winter holidays. Ben Leach, a spokesperson for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia …

Vaccine-Hesitant Urgent Care Workers May Need Proper—and Personal—Motivation

Urgent care operators (and all healthcare employers) may struggle at times to ensure their teams meet organizational goals for vaccination compliance. Even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, some healthcare workers (HCWs) flat out refused to get vaccinated. Besides putting themselves and those around them at risk, such individuals provided a poor example for patients who may have been on the fence about getting the shot. New research published in the Journal of Occupational …

<strong>Storms Are Shutting Down Urgent Care Centers<strong>—</strong>but It Could Be Worse. Would You Be Prepared?</strong>

Storms Are Shutting Down Urgent Care Centers—but It Could Be Worse. Would You Be Prepared?

Catastrophic winter storms are being blamed for the deaths of hundreds of people across the country this week. They’re also leaving many thousands stranded in airports and even more at home without power or heat. Urgent care centers are not exempt for the effects, either, as they’re among the many healthcare facilities forced to shut their doors or alter their operations due to severe conditions. As reported by Fox 17 West Michigan, Spectrum Health has …

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays—and Spreading Infectious Disease

The good news on the tripledemic front as Christmas and New Year celebrations approach, according to multiple mainstream media and health department sources, is that new cases of respiratory syncytial virus and influenza have probably peaked. The correlating less-rosy news, as reported by Becker’s Hospital Review, is that packing large groups of people into inside spaces over the next week is likely to reverse the trend in pretty short order. The same goes for the …

If Your Business Hasn’t Been Impacted by Rural Hospital Closures, It Most Likely Will

We’ve reported previously on the opportunity that rural hospital closures and cutbacks could present for urgent care operators to step in and thrive in communities in desperate need of healthcare options. New research out of the Penn State College of Medicine paints a broader picture of the potential impact not just for affected communities and prospective new providers, but for what they term “bystander hospitals”—facilities within a 30 mile radius of one that has closed. …

Routine Vaccinations Skipped During the Pandemic May Be Coming Back to Haunt Us Now

Well-care visits to healthcare providers essentially ceased during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That included routine vaccination for children. It wasn’t much of a threat for a while, as kids had little face-to-face interaction with anyone outside their family, thereby lowering risk of any infectious disease. Now, however, healthcare officials are concerned that a measles outbreak in the Midwest United States could be the harbinger of a national or even global emergency. As reported …

Yet Another Viral Threat Is on the Rise in the U.S.—and It’s Already Proven Deadly

As if unusually high rates of hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus and flu, along with sporadic spikes in COVID-19, aren’t enough at least four hospitals in the United States are seeing a growing number of severe cases of Streptococcus A infection. As reported by NBC News, children’s hospitals in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Washington have reported spikes in invasive Strep group A. Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston has recorded roughly 60 cases in October and …

The Holidays Are Tough Times for Addicts. Be Vigilant for Drug Seekers

This time of year is notoriously difficult for addicts. Whether due to diagnosed seasonal affective disorder, exposure to substances at holiday parties, or simply seeking relief from the winter blues, even individuals committed to sobriety can stumble. Some will head for urgent care centers in the hope that a provider they haven’t seen before could be duped with tales of acute pain from an after-hours dental issue or a fall. As such, this might be …

Update: The Amoxicillin Shortage Not Only Continues—It’s Getting Worse

When we last reported on the ongoing shortage of amoxicillin products, the crisis involved 29 products and fulfillment was expected anywhere between November and January. According to new information from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, however, the shortage has spread to include 44 products and fulfillment isn’t expected until mid-January or early February, depending on the product and manufacturer. Check with pharmacies before prescribing.