Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

How to Protect Your Urgent Care’s Reputation from Online Trolls and Social Media Terrorists

Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Urgent message: The anonymity of social media enables disgruntled patients, former employees, and/or community members to take out vengeance on an urgent care center through negative reviews and postings, typically out-of-proportion to the actual “offense.” Because of the importance of social media as an advertising and marketing channel, urgent care …

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 …

That’s Not What Happened! How to Deal with Gaslighting in the Workplace

Urgent message: Similar to workplace bullying, sexual harassment, and toxic gossip, gaslighting behaviors result in demoralized workplace cultures, lost business opportunities, and legal liability for urgent care leaders and organizations. Past issues of JUCM have covered the various “axes of workplace evils” including workplace bullying,1 sexual harassment,2 and toxic gossip.3 Not to be mistaken for crude schoolyard behavior, at the heart of these very serious workplace dysfunctions is one person trying to gain an advantage …

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 …

Is Four Times a Charm for Walmart (or, Could Walmart Be a Threat to Urgent Care)?

Urgent message: It’s important for urgent care to watch and learn from Walmart, which has engaged leading retail and strategic consultants to develop “Walmart Health.” However, based on Walmart’s three previous failures to penetrate any significant share of even its own stores with a retail clinic model, skepticism over Walmart’s ability to execute as a healthcare provider is warranted. If Walmart has its way, America’s burgeoning healthcare marketplace is about to get a lot more …

When Can an Urgent Care Legally ‘Fire’ a Patient?

Urgent message: In light of increasingly frequent reports of urgent care centers “firing” patients for various reasons, clarity is needed as to whether and when it may be legal and appropriate for urgent care to “ban” a patient. The customer is always right. We’ve all heard that saying and perhaps even invoked it in a contentious business situation. But exactly how does this apply to providers and staff in an urgent care? Background A patient …

To Appeal to Millennials, You Need a Purpose

Urgent message: A sense of “purpose” is the primary motivator for many employees—even beyond compensation and benefits. That’s why successful companies leverage powerful purpose statements towards clearly articulating their mission and values, and cultivating an engaged and inspired workforce. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Whether part of a larger cultural and societal shift, or due to the influence of a Millennial-dominated workforce, the importance of “purpose” at work has taken on a heightened significance in …

Prescribing Pharmacists: Cheaper and More Accessible Than Urgent Care?

Urgent message: As states move forward with legislation enabling pharmacists to prescribe, not just dispense, the urgent care industry must consider the implications on competition, collaboration and public health. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. On February 11, 2020, the Virginia legislature passed bills HB 1506 and SB 1026, respectively, enabling pharmacists to prescribe medications, not …

The Psychology of Why Your Patients Love You or Hate You

Urgent message: Often, it seems that patients and families either love you or hate you. There’s a science to why they feel those extremes, though—and understanding it can increase your chance of engendering patient loyalty and positive reviews. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Practice Management Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. As a measurement of patient satisfaction, operations execution, and future business success, …

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 …

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