Dyspnea Original author: Tracey Quail Davidoff Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026 to reflect current evidence, guidelines, and urgent care practice. Introduction Dyspnea is the subjective sensation of difficult, uncomfortable, or labored breathing. Causes range from benign and self-limited conditions to immediately life-threatening cardiopulmonary, upper-airway, toxicologic, metabolic, and neurologic disorders. In urgent care, the first task is not to establish a complete differential diagnosis; it is to identify physiologic instability …
Read MoreTextbook of Urgent Care Medicine, Chapter 16, Wheezing and Asthma
Wheezing and Asthma Original chapter author: Rasai L. Ernst Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026 to reflect current evidence, guidelines, and urgent care practice. Introduction Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway disease characterized by variable respiratory symptoms and variable expiratory airflow limitation. Acute asthma exacerbations are common in urgent care, but wheezing is not synonymous with asthma. First-time wheezing, focal or asymmetric findings, poor response to bronchodilator therapy, or atypical …
Read MoreTextbook of Urgent Care Medicine, Chapter 3, Vertigo
CHAPTER 3 Vertigo Updated for urgent care practice, 2026 Original author: John Shufeldt. Clinical update prepared for academic review of the 2014 urgent care textbook chapter. INTRODUCTION Dizziness is a common but nonspecific urgent care complaint. Patients may use the term to describe vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, medication effects, anxiety-related symptoms, or a systemic illness. Vertigo is an illusion of movement caused by asymmetry in vestibular tone; however, the urgent care clinician must first identify dangerous …
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Update: The Civil Rights Act Applies to LGBTQ Employees; What Does This Mean for Urgent Care Centers?
Urgent message: The United States Supreme Court ruled recently that LGBTQ discrimination is prohibited under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Urgent care centers may cultivate a tolerant and diverse work environment while protecting themselves against claims of discrimination by adopting and consistently following policies related to hiring, evaluation, promotion, benefits, etc. for all employees. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal …
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What Are the Reporting Obligations of Urgent Care Centers for COVID-19 Patients?
Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor for The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Urgent message: Many patients are deterred from getting a COVID-19 or antibody test because they fear being added to a government “surveillance list” or harassment (tracing) of their “contacts.” While urgent care centers or their third-party labs are required to report individual test results, they can assure patients that datasets …
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Chest X-Ray Findings in 636 Ambulatory Patients with COVID-19 Presenting to an Urgent Care Center: A Normal Chest X-Ray Is no Guarantee
Michael B. Weinstock, MD, Ana Echenique, MD, DABR, Joshua W. Russell, MD, MSc, FACEP, Ari Leib, MD, Jordan A. Miller, DO, David J. Cohen, MD, Stephen Waite, MD, Allen Frye, NP, and Frank A. Illuzzi, MD, FACEP Abstract Background/Objective Patients with COVID-19 commonly present to Urgent Care (UC) centers. Our primary objective was to determine what percentage of UC patients with confirmed COVID-19 had normal vs abnormal chest x-rays (CXR). Secondarily, we aim to describe …
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Urgent Care Is Being Bashed and Disregarded in the COVID-19 Crisis—Set the Record Straight on How You Can Help
As cases of COVID-19 started to spike in some parts of the country, urgent care’s potential contributions in fighting the pandemic were overlooked or even maligned by media outlets with a poor understanding of the level of care urgent care providers offer on a daily basis. Perhaps worse, some articles accurately portrayed concerning actions by local officials and state governments. As you peruse the examples below, consider proactively reaching out to local newspapers, broadcasters, and …
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What the Families First Coronavirus Act Means for Urgent Care Operators and Employees
Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Senior Editor, Practice Management of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Urgent message: The Families First Coronavirus Act creates an obligation for small- and medium-sized businesses to pay employees who take time off work for specified reasons caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Affected employers must be prepared to implement the Act’s leave programs on or before April 2, 2020. Urgent …
Read MoreUpdated: Experity Issues Guidance on Optimal Coding for Services Related to COVID-19
COVID-19 has been officially declared a pandemic, and school districts, sporting events, and cultural traditions like St. Patrick’s Day parades are being canceled in order to lower the risk of transmission among large throngs of people. One thing that goes on, however, is the day-to-day operation of the urgent care center—the only difference being that your work is more essential than ever. Secondary to that, of course, is the need to be properly reimbursed for …
Read MoreFree Triage/Texting App Assists in Managing COVID-19 Patient Flow
Concern for both patients and staff has the country’s urgent care professionals leaning heavily on their industry partners for support in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the growing of number of people requesting COVID-19 testing and care, Experity has released a COVID-19 Check-in Triage, and Texting Application to help clinics manage patient check-in from home or the clinic parking lot, facilitate communication with patients, and assess risk before a patient enters an urgent …
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