Practice Management
We warned you last week that trying to force hesitant staff members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine could be both ineffective and legally risky. That doesn’t mean you shouldn stop encouraging them to get the shot, however; after all, it’s for their own protection as well as that of their co-workers and patients. According to an article in The New York Times, some healthcare employers are offering cash, extra time off, and goods such as …
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Even with a U.S. death toll in the hundreds of thousands, some people remain skeptical of vaccines, the value of social distancing, and the overall dangers of COVID-19. The CBS affiliate in Dallas ran a story recently that might make a dent, however. It quotes a trauma surgeon and assistant professor at Texas Tech University as saying that survivors are likely to have some degree of lung damage after recovering—with their x-rays sometimes worse than …
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Many “side effects” of the COVID-19 pandemic could have been anticipated due to the nature of the infection—eg, exacerbation of existing lung problems—or social distancing measures, such as an increase in depression and anxiety. Then again, others are likely unforeseen. The Canadian Urological Association Journal published an article detailing an increase in male genitalia injuries coinciding with a spike in COVID-19 cases. While there was no solid conclusion as to why this occurred, the authors …
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As 2020 was winding down, we all became aware of a widespread and highly alarming hack that has since been attributed to operators in Russia. While it does not appear to have been targeted at healthcare organizations, the fact that it happened at all should be a reminder of the potential risks you face with proprietary information, access to financial accounts, and HIPAA-protected patient information. Then there’s the whole issue of online censorship that has …
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Regular readers of JUCM and JUCM News know that telehealth seems ideally suited for urgent care, but that relatively few operators have seen great success with it—or even tried it at all. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced some to give it another look, however, as many patients were hesitant to leave the house for relatively minor healthcare complaints early on. If you’re still on the fence, it might be helpful to know what Intermountain Healthcare …
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It’s flu season. Usually that’s reason enough to take patients seriously when they present with certain respiratory complaints. These days, influenza is overshadowed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, of course—and with good reason, as it looks like it’s now the number-one killer of Americans. However, if you assume those are the only two respiratory issues to be concerned with, you’re doing your patients a disservice that could prove deadly. According to a new study published online …
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Following advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to who should or should not get the COVID-19 vaccine has been something of a challenge, as the agency has waffled considerably since the first versions were approved for use in the United States weeks ago. They’re simply following the evidence, of course, which paints an evolving picture as more Americans get the shot. Most recently, the CDC officially updated its interim guidance on …
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Evidence that alterations in a patient’s senses of smell and taste were common in COVID-19 infection was abundant at the outset of the pandemic. It was also completely anecdotal, and sometimes refuted in early studies. Now that more cases have amassed and more in-depth research completed, however, it seems clear that such alterations are, in fact, strong (but not universal) indicators that a patient has been infected with the virus. JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & …
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We’ve read a lot lately about the prospect of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic raising incidence of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other behavioral concerns in the general public. Looking back farther, you may recall a handful of urgent care operators trying to develop a line of behavioral services in their communities. Could the current public health crisis serve as a conduit to finally get such initiatives off the ground? Freeman Health System …
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We’ve told you recently that the Urgent Care Association is involved in both lobbying and public advocacy to advance the cause of urgent care operators in regard to COVID-19 testing and immunization. They’ve been successful enough in raising the industry’s profile that UCA is now assisting some local health departments with strategizing vaccine rollout to healthcare workers—but they’re asking for your help to move the ball even further down the field. The Association has developed …
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