Practice Management
Results of efforts to get Americans vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus have been mixed. While New Mexico has administered at least one dose to roughly 78% of its population, Alabama has only done so with 47% of its residents, according to the COVID Data Tracker on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. While there have been issues with rollout in many states, March data from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Vaccine Monitor show 20% …
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For the sixth year in a row, cases of sexually transmitted diseases eclipsed previously historic numbers in the United States, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis all grew in 2019, adding up to 2.5 million cases, capping a nearly 30% increase over a 5-year period. Perhaps most disturbing is the fact that congenital syphilis nearly quadrupled during that time. Despite treatment options, STDs …
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Spring weather is a signal to get back outside after a long winter of cabin fever, especially given lockdowns associated with the pandemic. But it also signals the beginning of tick season—and with it, a return of patients seeking assessment and treatment for bites that could cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. COVID-19 actually complicates this, as well, in that some of the symptoms associated with Lyme disease (such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, …
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A pair of not-for-profit consumer advocacy groups have renewed calls for the urgent care industry to be more regulated by the government, claiming that urgent care centers and retail clinics simply are not affordable for low-income patients, according to an article recently published by Modern Healthcare. The issue could be resolved, they say, if the government required these facilities to provide care for patients covered by Medicaid. As urgent care veterans know, the problem here …
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While the belief that children can’t be severely affected by COVID-19 has been debunked among healthcare providers, questions remain as to why some children really do get through the virus unscathed while others experience severe disease. A study just published by JAMA Network reveals that certain demographic and clinical characteristics may offer some clues. Looking at discharge data from 869 medical facilities that reported inpatient and emergency room encounters to the Premier Healthcare Database Special …
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Recent reports concerning blood clots in six women who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have moved the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to recommend a “pause” in administering that vaccine. The news garnered headlines and “breaking news” bulletins among the mainstream media and lit up social media chats. As such, it’s likely that some patients will present with concerns that having received a COVID-19 vaccine somehow …
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An urgent care network in South Carolina is learning the hard way that failing to maintain and submit accurate medical claims can lead to disastrous outcomes for the operator. The Justice Department just announced that the company in question will have to pay $22.5 million to resolve charges that it violated the False Claims Act. The state’s case rests on accusations that between 2013 and 2018 there were numerous instances in which the company billed …
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added several new chronic conditions to the list of those thought to predispose people with COVID-19 to severe illness. Several—type 1 diabetes, moderate-to-severe asthma, liver disease, dementia or other neurological conditions, stroke/cerebrovascular disease, HIV infection, cystic fibrosis, and overweight—were previously considered those that “might” put patients at higher risk. Substance use disorders, which hadn’t been considered to put people at higher risk at all, are now also considered …
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Whether or not you’ve participated in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ program to cover the cost of administering COVID-19 tests to uninsured patients to date, take note that HHS is extending the program to include vaccination. The agency is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, April 13 at 2 pm, Eastern to explain the steps for using the program, including how to enroll as a provider participant, check patient eligibility, submit patient information …
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If you’re among the many urgent care providers who encourage patients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or try to educate patients who have concerns about the shot, those efforts seem to be making a dent in people’s attitudes. The percentage of Americans who have either gotten at least one dose of the vaccine or who now plan to is growing, according to new data released by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The biggest jump was seen …
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