Our Success in urgent care is defined by how we play our 'greatest hits'

Our Success in Urgent Care is Defined by How We Play Our ‘Greatest Hits’

Recently one evening, I meandered into a bar on iconic 6th Street in Austin, Texas— America’s epicenter for live music. Venues throughout the district feature free, live performances every night from some of the nation’s most talented musicians. On that particular evening, however, the sounds from one electric guitar coming from a small stage in a dark room cut through the humid air and grabbed my attention. I wandered in, found a seat at the bar, and took in the guitarist’s performance. He was nothing short of a master. His …
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What Happens If We Still Do Nothing

‘What Happens If We Do Nothing?’ Is Still the Right Question

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FACEP, FCUCM “It only hurts right here,” Rich told me, pointing to a tender spot on his ribs under near his arm pit. I palpated his chest wall and observed as he winced when I hit the spot. “I just need to make sure I’m okay to go back to work.” Rich was middle-aged and had a mustache with hints of grey. He was a large man, but his potbelly was overshadowed by his towering height. He had a polite, unassuming demeanor and came in wearing …
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Work Note Seeking in Urgent Care

Broader Issues Surround ‘Work Note Seeking’

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP Who among us has worked a single urgent care (UC) shift without at least one patient making a humble request for a sick note to take back to work? “Can I have a work note?” It’s a simple ask. In fact, apart from medication refills, work note visits rank among the most welcomed presentations for many overworked clinicians, offering a much-needed mental reprieve and a chance to finally catch up with charting. However, while the path of least resistance (ie, providing the note without …
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What Happens If We Do Nothing?

What Happens If We Do Nothing?

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP In its most modern form, medicine revolves around action. We are trained as clinicians to assess, diagnose, and intervene, but it’s the intervention part that patients expect most. This is especially true in urgent care (UC), where patients usually present in anticipation of some swift action for whatever is bothering them. I recently saw a healthy, middle-aged man in our clinic who was complaining of some mild chest pain. He wore a white, pristinely starched shirt and tie with suspenders and cufflinks. I could …
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Analogy Communication Tool

Analogy: A Powerful and Underutilized Bedside Tool

Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, FCUCM, FACEP Click Here to download the article PDF Sophie was back with another one of her kids in tow. This was the fifth time in a month. I could almost hear my staff roll their eyes when she walked through the door. Even though she was a denizen of the clinic, I was about to meet her for the first time because I usually covered other sites. Although I was out of the loop, my medical assistant and x-ray tech were more than eager to …
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