Practice Management
In a recent press release announcing its capabilities for treating cold and flu symptoms, Amazon Clinic—the telehealth channel of the Amazon enterprise—took a dig at urgent care. Its chief medical officer said in the release, “When many people feel sick, they end up at urgent care without knowing what they’ll be charged.” The retailer provides upfront pricing on its telehealth services and considers it an advantage for consumers. Those with high deductibles are especially sensitive …
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Nutritional supplement retailer GNC is yet another consumer-facing outfit expanding its reach into healthcare provider services. Three new GNC membership plans will offer virtual visits for urgent care and primary care, according to a press release. The tiered membership plans start at $34.99 for a full year with no added cost for visits or medication fills from a list of more than 100 prescriptions. The next highest tier costs $9.99 per month and includes more …
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has agreed to acquire more than 50 North Carolina-based locations of FastMed. The pending acquisition is set to close in early 2024, and once the deal is finalized, FastMed would operate independently from the not-for-profit Blue Cross NC. The Blues plan has been a non-controlling minority investor in FastMed since 2012, and it will acquire only FastMed’s North Carolina locations. FastMed also provides telehealth, …
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American Family Care recently started offering semaglutide injections for weight management at its two suburban facilities located in Willowbrook and Naperville, Illinois, near Chicago. Available since May 2023, the service has enrolled approximately 50 patients who receive weekly injections, according to a Chicago NBC affiliate. American Family Care clinicians screen patients prior to treatment to ensure they meet criteria. Specifically, candidates must exhibit a body mass index (BMI) of 30—which is indicative of obesity—or a …
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In 2022, the American Hospital Association reported a projected shortage of 1.1 million nurses, meanwhile, National Nurses United said that there’s no nursing shortage but rather a lack of nurses willing to work under the current conditions. Experts suggest that both sides have valid points, according to a deep dive by STAT News. Most nurses are emphasizing the need for more staff to provide proper patient care. Yet organizations face rising labor costs as they …
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As previously reported in JUCM News, California is set to raise minimum wages for healthcare workers to $25—and that specifically includes urgent care employees. The new minimum wage law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, and it allows pay hikes to phase in over time, beginning in June 2024 at $21 per hour, then rising to $22 per hour starting in June 2026, finally reaching $25 per hour in June 2027. Some organizations …
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The Administrative Rules Division of Michigan is recommending the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration adopt American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) standards for staff members who take x-ray images. Currently, Michigan does not require specific training for non-exempted x-ray techs—being one of approximately 10 states that allows urgent care (UC) employers to provide their own on-the-job training. However, if the ARRT proposal is adopted, x-ray techs would need an associate’s degree from an approved …
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Dollar General, with more than 19,000 retail stores, has entered into a strategic partnership with mobile medical services company DocGo. The plan is to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas where Dollar General has a foothold. Approximately 80% of Dollar General’s stores are located in towns with populations of fewer than 20,000 residents, which are typically areas short on clinicians as well. DocGo’s self-pay rates start at $69. On the ground, a pilot program in …
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This year’s Forbes list of the wealthiest Americans includes a class of 11 healthcare leaders, topped by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. The reason why Bezos—and his $161 billion bank account—qualifies in the healthcare category is because of Amazon’s recent acquisition of the primary care concierge-medicine provider One Medical. For $199 a year, One Medical members receive low-acuity services, labs, same-day appointments, and no-cost 24/7 access to virtual care. The company operates brick-and-mortar locations …
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The fall 2023 class of fellows completing the WellNow Urgent Care Traditional and Accelerated Fellowship program turned their tassels and celebrated their graduation day at the end of September. Since 2018, a total of 216 fellows in 6 states have graduated from WellNow’s development programs, and 90 percent of graduates have gone on to serve in full time positions as advanced practice providers (APPs) at WellNow centers. According to Chief Medical Officer Robert Biernbaum, DO, …
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