Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Heat Illnesses Have Cardiovascular Implications

Exertional heat illness is a largely preventable cause of illness and death among physically active people, including athletes and outdoor workers, and the New England Journal of Medicine is promoting a comprehensive review article that was published this spring to remind clinicians of best practices during these sizzling summer months. The review emphasizes that heat illness can occur even in moderate weather when metabolic heat production exceeds the body’s ability to dissipate heat. Clinicians should …

Multiple Telehealth Options Better Serve Patient Populations

A new Lancet Digital Health viewpoint article argues that virtual urgent care should not be limited to a single service model because different approaches influence access, equity, cost, and operations. The authors describe 4 common health system models—telemedicine conversion, on-demand visits, scheduled virtual visits, and asynchronous store-and-forward care—and emphasize that each type addresses different patient needs. The authors note that 94% of urgent care centers offered telehealth by 2022, up from 29% in 2019—largely driven …

NPs Have Little Interaction With Supervising Physicians: Survey

A survey of 1,486 nurse practitioners (NPs) in North Carolina suggests that physician supervision often provides little direct clinical interaction, despite the state’s requirements for collaborative practice agreements. The survey was conducted by Jennifer Perry, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE, a family nurse practitioner practicing in urgent care, and Chandra Speight, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, CNE, a professor at East Carolina University, and was presented at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners annual meeting. According to the …

Deep Dive Into Nonspecific Low Back Pain Offers Diagnostic Approach

Low back pain remains a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, and 90% of patients presenting for care have nonspecific low back pain rather than a serious spinal disorder, according to a new clinical review published in JAMA. Nonspecific low back pain is defined as pain below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds that does not have clinical features associated with an underlying condition or referred pain, according to the authors. …

Air Quality Issues Continue With Expected Health Impact

U.S. health officials have extended air-quality alerts in locales across the Midwest this week related to smoke from ongoing wildfires originating in Canada. Extraordinarily high air quality index (AQI) readings were recorded in several areas in recent days, although the danger has started to ease thanks to rain and shifting wind. Covenant HealthCare MedExpress in Michigan closed its doors for several hours last week after wildfire smoke compromised air quality inside the building, according to …

Most Physicians Look At Data From Patient Wearables: AMA Survey

An American Medical Association (AMA) survey of 2,222 physicians across 6 countries found strong physician interest in using data collected from consumer wearables, such as smartwatches or over-the-counter biosensors. However, widespread use of the wearable data in clinical practice is limited, according to AMA. Among U.S. physicians, 86% report reviewing at least 1 type of wearable data, most commonly activity and function (67%), heart physiology (62%), events and alerts (55%), sleep (54%), and glucose or …

Adults With Health Conditions Have Higher Incidence of Severe RSV

Researchers found adults with underlying high-risk conditions (HRCs)—such as asthma, congenital immunodeficiency, chronic kidney disease, and others—had a higher risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection than those without such conditions. A community-based study published in Open Forum Infectious Disease followed 7,501 adults aged 18–64 years over 2 RSV seasons. Overall, RSV acute respiratory infection rates were similar in adults with and without HRCs (17.9 cases per 1,000 person-years vs 14.8 cases per 1,000 …

Updated Antibiotic Stewardship Framework Calls For Scalability

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released updated guidance on the recommended features of antibiotic stewardship programs in outpatient settings. The agency says the updates reflect changes in today’s healthcare system environment, particularly with consideration for the increasing number of outpatient practices that are now under larger health system ownership. According to CDC, the new Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Programs builds on its original 2016 framework to reflect the latest …

Annoying Flu Symptoms Can Linger For Weeks

Many patients presenting to urgent care with flu symptoms just want relief from the annoyance of their sore throat or body aches. A new study of 724 U.S. adults with confirmed influenza during the 2024–2025 season published in BMC Infectious Diseases found flu symptoms were greatest during the first few days of the illness but often continued on beyond the expected time to recover. In a survey with a selection of 12 flu-related symptoms, participants …

COVID Antiviral Found Safe For Younger Kids

Researchers found the oral antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) is safe for kids as young as age 6 with mild/moderate COVID-19 who were at increased risk for severe disease, as published in Pediatrics. Of the in 75 children in the international study, 81% had 1 risk factor for severe COVID-19, most commonly obesity (49%) or chronic lung disease (40%). Additionally, 56% were unvaccinated. Children aged 6–17 years who weighed 40 kg or more received 300 mg …

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