Ultrasound captured me from the start. It happened during a night shift on my emergency medicine clerkship at Hurley Hospital in Flint, MI. I remember awkwardly picking up a phased array probe for the first time and the astonishment I felt when that beating heart appeared in black and white on the screen when I pressed the probe against the patient’s gel-laden chest. I had seen ultrasound images online before, but this was different. I …
Read MoreAbstracts in Urgent Care – June 2020
CPR Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic Characteristics of COVID-19 in the Pediatric Population A Clinical Decision Rule for Predicting True Penicillin Allergy The Role of Antibiotics in Community-Acquired Pneumonia POCUS Overview: A Primary Care Perspective POCUS in Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Prioritizing Protecting Healthcare Workers During Resuscitation of COVID-19 Patients Key Point: Priorities should be given to reducing provider exposure and lowering aerosolization risk while oxygenating/ventilating, and considering whether or not resuscitation is appropriate. …
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A 28-Year-Old Male with a Persistent Dry Cough
A 28-year-old male presents with complaint of a dry cough “forever.” He admits to intermittent chest pain. Exam reveals decreased breath sounds on the right. View the image taken and consider what the diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
Read MoreA 24-Year-Old Female with a New, Unexplained ‘Rash’ on Her Leg
The patient is a 24-year-old woman who presents to urgent care with several linear lesions on her leg, accompanied by a burning skin sensation which developed days after starting a job as an outdoor bartender at a local beach resort. View the image taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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A Pregnant Woman with Upper Right Quadrant Pain
Urgent message: The presentation of a pregnant woman to urgent care is often associated with consternation for both the patient and the provider. When a pregnant patient presents to urgent care with right upper quadrant pain, initial bedside ultrasound screening for gall bladder disease can facilitate initial interventions as well as expedite follow up care. CASE PRESENTATION History A 25-year-old nulliparous female 24 weeks pregnant presented to urgent care 4 hours after onset of nausea, …
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A 40-Year-Old Man with Cough and Fever During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The patient is a 40-year-old man who presents with cough and fever. Living and working in New York City as cases of COVID-19 were on a steep incline, he acknowledges multiple exposures to individuals who could have been infected with the virus. Similarly, he reports that a close friend had the flu recently. View the x-ray and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be.
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Chest X-Ray Findings in 636 Ambulatory Patients with COVID-19 Presenting to an Urgent Care Center: A Normal Chest X-Ray Is no Guarantee
Michael B. Weinstock, MD, Ana Echenique, MD, DABR, Joshua W. Russell, MD, MSc, FACEP, Ari Leib, MD, Jordan A. Miller, DO, David J. Cohen, MD, Stephen Waite, MD, Allen Frye, NP, and Frank A. Illuzzi, MD, FACEP Abstract Background/Objective Patients with COVID-19 commonly present to Urgent Care (UC) centers. Our primary objective was to determine what percentage of UC patients with confirmed COVID-19 had normal vs abnormal chest x-rays (CXR). Secondarily, we aim to describe …
Read MoreThis Was Their Finest Hour
1940 was a particularly hopeless year in Great Britain. Having easily conquered France and signed a temporary treaty with the USSR, Adolf Hitler turned his full attention towards the conquest of the United Kingdom. As the Battle of Britain commenced, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, against this bleak backdrop, memorably addressed his people, and the world: “…if we fail, then the whole world…including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss …
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Conducting Preparticipation Sports Physicals in the Urgent Care Center
Urgent message: Youth athletic programs are ubiquitous in the United States, with leagues requiring players to have a physical exam before they’re allowed to take part. Ensuring your urgent care center is ready to be a “go to” resource for a thorough work-up increases young athletes’ chances for a safe experience and bolsters your position as a valued community health resource. INTRODUCTION Millions of juveniles participate in organized athletics the world over every year. In …
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A Young Woman with Worsening Abdominal Pain
A 35-year-old woman presents with a 5-day history of worsening abdominal pain and several days of “constipation.” Review the image taken and consider what the diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.
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