Outpatient Management of Opioid Dependence in Urgent Care

Urgent message: Urgent care physicians may be well positioned to play a role in stemming the national epidemic of opioid dependence, providing much needed care for patients and adding a new facet to their own clinical practice. By Paolo T. Coppola, MD, FACEP and Matthew I. Salzberg Introduction The DSM-IV-TR defines dependence as “a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiologic symptoms that indicate a person has impaired control of psychoactive substance use and continues use of …

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Acute Pain Management  in Urgent Care Medicine

Acute Pain Management in Urgent Care Medicine

Urgent message: Urgent care practitioners are called upon daily to alleviate pain. A thorough understanding of the various pain syndromes and the pharmacology and analgesic potencies of various medications will aid in their safe and appropriate use. Marc R. Salzberg, MD, FACEP and Paolo T. Coppola, MD, FACEP Pain, either chronic or acute, is the main reason patients seek medical care. In this article, we will discuss acute pain management in an urgent care setting, …

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