StuWilli, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Access to Urgent Care Leads Improvements in Veterans’ Healthcare

Military veterans’ access to healthcare took a huge leap forward last year—and urgent care was a big factor, according to a new study by the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU). Working in conjunction with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), the researchers concluded that MyVA Access, implemented in 2015, established sustainable solutions within VA facilities to …

Mumps Continues to Spread in Four States

Oklahoma is the latest state to report an outbreak of mumps, joining Washington, New York, Arkansas, and Missouri in what’s become the heaviest season for confirmed cases in years. Washington, New York, and Arkansas continue to report new cases in multiple counties, while Missouri’s case load seems to have leveled off, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not surprisingly, most cases in every state are clustered around school populations, though …

Could Paramedics Help Solve Your Staffing Challenges?

Increasingly, paramedics are being employed (literally) to fill gaps in urgent care staffs around the country. The level of real-world experience and knowledge capable paramedics bring to the table make them well suited for a variety of tasks, from training medical assistants (MAs) to providing clinical care. Consider the following: Paramedics have more advanced skills than an MA, but not as much as a registered nurse (hence, they do not command as high a price …

Stopping the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance: An Urgent Care Imperative

Urgent message: Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide problem with a local solution—one that starts in your urgent care center. Focusing on responsible prescribing, in combination with staff and patient education, will start to curb overprescribing. Every appropriate prescription you write and every inappropriate prescription you opt not to write is a step in the right direction. By 1980, scientists believed that roughly 3%-5% of Streptococcus pneumoniae were penicillin-resistant and by the turn of the century, …

January 2017

Navigating Around Legislative Obstacles and Proving Value in 2017

Urgent care in a shifting healthcare delivery environment brings to mind Shel Silverstein’s children’s classic, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O. In that tale, the missing piece stands alone, waiting for someone to come along and take it somewhere. Various shapes come by, but none are quite right. Some could not roll. Some had too many missing pieces. Finally, a shape comes along that fits just right and they roll along until the missing …

An Urgent Care Approach to Malignancy Complications

Urgent message: The prevalence of cancer is increasing—and along with it, malignancy-associated complications. Early recognition and management of these conditions is vital to alleviating patient morbidity and maximizing quality of life. Introduction Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, accounting for over 580,000 deaths in 2013 in the U.S.1 With an aging population and more effective forms of treatment, the overall prevalence of cancer is increasing. Consequently, acute cancer-related complications …

Cost-Effective Staffing with Medical Assistants

Urgent message: Medical assistants (MAs) provide flexible, cost-effective clinical support for urgent care centers. With proper training and working under a physician’s supervision, an MA can perform most basic support functions in this setting. Introduction While there’s a lack of verifiable data as to the total number of unsuccessful urgent care endeavors, we can presume at least one common reason urgent care centers shutter their doors and permanently cease operations: they exhaust their working capital. …

FDA Warns Operators on Battery-Powered Medical Carts

The Food and Drug Administration says battery-powered medical carts are to blame for a series of fires in facilities across the country, leading the agency to publish a warning letter recommending that all medical offices, including urgent care centers, take preventive measures. While the size of some carts makes their use prohibitive in many urgent care locations, larger centers, such as those that might be affiliated with a healthcare system, that use such systems are …

MD Now Plots Further Growth for 2017

South Florida-based MD Now plans to nearly double the growth pace it set in 2016 by opening seven new locations this year. The company has set its course based on both population access and expansion of services. The 25 locations it already has are within 5 miles of 75% of residents in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. Its new centers will be located and built with an eye toward offering more occupational health and …

Login to JUCM