Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Factors Associated With the Use of an Online Appointment Tool in Urgent Care Centers

Urgent Message: Significant differences in the use of an online appointment tool based on age, race, insurance type, and urgent care setting underline the need for targeted strategies to address differences in adoption across patient groups. E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, MD, PhD; Parth Divekar, MS; Lara Stone, MA; David Schnadower, MD, MPH; Sinem Toraman Turk, PhD Keywords: online appointment scheduling; pediatric urgent care; virtual queueing; digital health; healthcare access; health disparities Abstract Aim: To keep up …

Pediatric Vaccine Hesitancy in Families Seeking Care in Urgent Care Centers

Urgent Message: Despite national recommendations regarding childhood vaccination, some parents are hesitant or refuse to vaccinate their child. This survey assessment presents parents’ perceptions of vaccination and the scope of undervaccination in a pediatric urgent care population. Stacy B. Buchanan, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC; Brooke Cherven, PhD, MPH, RN; Betsy Dye, MS, CPNP-PC, NPD-BC, EBP-C; Temima Oratz, BSN, RN, EBP-C; Margaret Gettis, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, EBP-C Keywords: vaccine hesitancy; childhood immunization; undervaccination; measles-mumps-rubella vaccine; varicella vaccine; …

The Impact of an Urgent Care Point-of-Care Ultrasound Program on Patient Transfers to the Emergency Department

Urgent Message: Training urgent care providers to use point-of-care ultrasound resulted in fewer patient transfers to the emergency department for soft tissue/musculoskeletal and first-trimester pregnancy complaints, while also streamlining care in this single-center program. Keywords: point-of-care ultrasound; urgent care; emergency department transfer; soft tissue infection; musculoskeletal complaints; first-trimester pregnancy Lindsey E. Fish, MD, FCUCM; Genie Roosevelt, MD; Amanda G. Toney, MD Abstract Introduction: The use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is expanding into multiple clinical areas …

Application of an Algorithmic Prediction Model to Determine the Utility and Financial Viability of Tympanometry as a Diagnostic Tool in Urgent Care

Urgent Message: The prediction model developed for this study suggests that tympanometry may have value in evaluating cases of possible acute otitis media or acute hearing loss in urgent care centers. Jeff Lacour, MD; John Weissert; Dan Frankowski; Demetrio Aguila III, MD; Joshua Russell, MD Keywords: tympanometry; acute otitis media; otitis media with effusion; sudden sensorineural hearing loss; conductive hearing loss; urgent care Abstract Introduction: Tympanometry is a well-validated and rapid tool for assessment of …

The Effect of Computer Use in the Exam Room on Patient Satisfaction in Urgent Care

Urgent Message: The use of a computer in the urgent care examination room does not significantly impact patient satisfaction. As such, clinicians can use medical technologies in the exam room while maintaining confidence in the clinician-patient relationship. Justin Bowles, MD; Mitchell Lopes, MS4; Chaya Pflugeisen, MSc, MEd Keywords: electronic health records; physician-patient relations; patient satisfaction; ambulatory care facilities; communication; surveys and questionnaires Abstract Objectives: Primary care literature has shown that the use of technology in …

Demographic and Clinical Predictors of Rib Fracture, Complication, and Follow-up Among Patients With Rib Injuries Presenting to Urgent Care

Urgent Message: This retrospective cross-sectional study found more than one-third of patients who presented to urgent care with rib injuries had rib fractures. Rib fracture was associated with male sex, older age, Spanish-speaking status, White race, and abnormal vital signs. Rebeka Sultana, MBBS; Kristin Breslin, MPH; Abigail Steiner, MS, MPH; Douglas B. Richardson, MAS; Lindsey E. Fish, MD Keywords: rib fracture; urgent care; chest wall trauma; pneumothorax; hemothorax; health disparities; logistic regression Research Supplemental Abstract …

An Evaluation of Unnecessary Prophylactic Antibiotics For Clean Lacerations

Urgent Message: Prophylactic antibiotic prescribing for patients with clean lacerations is a common but unnecessary practice. Rates of prescribing did not differ based on type of provider or physician specialty in this study of 20 urgent care centers. Michael Smart, PhD; Jennifer Bush, MSN, APRN, FNP-C/ENP-C Keywords: antimicrobial stewardship; prophylactic antibiotics; laceration repair; urgent care Abstract Background: Oral prophylactic antibiotics for clean lacerations that require suture repair are commonly prescribed when they are unneeded. We …

Increased Incidence of Pneumonia in Pediatric Urgent Care

Urgent Message: Pediatric after‑hours care clinics experienced a significant rise in radiographically confirmed pneumonia over a 2‑year period, paralleling national increases in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. Morgan McBee, MD; Leslie Spence, MD; Jeanne Hill, MD; Leah S. McBee, MD Keywords: pediatrics; community-acquired pneumonia; mycoplasma pneumonia; after-hours care; radiography, thoracic Abstract Introduction: Pediatric community-acquired pneumonia typically occurs at a rate of approximately 20 visits per 1,000 children in the population. Multiple reports and data from the Centers …

The Impact of Parental Pressure on Providers Practicing in Pediatric Urgent Care

Urgent Message: Pediatric urgent care providers commonly experience pressure to satisfy parental expectations, which may alter clinical decision making, increase stress levels, and/or impart barriers to administering quality care. Keywords: parental pressure; antibiotic prescribing; shared decision-making; pediatric urgent care; patient satisfaction; clinical decision-making Daniel Moscato, MS, PA-C; Sara Winter, MS, PA-C Abstract Background: Patient-centered care focuses on strengthening patient participation in their own healthcare. Although advantages to such care exist, intended shared decision making between …

Algorithmic Prediction of Utilization and Financial Viability Modeling for Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Adult Urgent Care Patients

Urgent Message: The prediction model developed for this study suggests that point-of-care ultrasound implementation could have both clinical utility and fiscal viability in an average urgent care center. Future work should validate the prediction model in a real-world urgent care setting. Key Words: point-of-care ultrasound; POCUS utilization; urgent care ultrasound; return on investment; financial modeling; implementation planning John Weissert; Joshua Russell, MD, MSc, ELS, FCUCM, FACEP; Tatiana Havryliuk, MD Abstract Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) use …

« Previous

Login to JUCM