Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Urgent Care Recruiting Trends Set the Tone for Healthcare Overall

The need to be “everywhere all the time” has become something of a mantra in healthcare, according to the latest Overview of the Salaries, Bonuses, and Other Incentives Customarily Used to Recruit Physicians, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, compiled and presented by Merritt Hawkins. The report spotlights the growth of urgent care, specifically, along with other walk-in settings as a key influencer in changing patient expectations when they choose a healthcare provider. Secondary to that, …

In Case You Haven’t Noticed, It’s Hot Out—and Your Patients Need You to Be Prepared

Much of the country has been suffering through a brutal heatwave this week. As temperatures and oppressive humidity rise, unfortunately, air quality goes down, leaving even healthy patients more susceptible to respiratory problems. Those with already-compromised breathing, such as from asthma, COPD, and other conditions, are in really dangerous territory. Add to that the fact that many people travel the country at this time of year (and, hence, don’t have access to their usual providers) …

Keeping Patients Safe from Ticks May Keep Them Coming Back to Your Urgent Care Center

It’s the peak of summer vacation season. But for every blissful day out on the lake, sleeping under the stars, or trail biking through the woods there are countless moments of worry over ticks and the diseases they carry. The aptly named Mercy Urgent Care is doing its part to help tourists and residents in western North Carolina feel safe and remain free of tick-borne illnesses by handing out free tick removal kits (while supplies …

In Alabama, a Sign of Progress the Urgent Care Market Can Be Proud of

Publications as diverse as Black Enterprise magazine and The Birmingham Times in Alabama have picked up on a real urgent care success story—one that should resonate with the entire healthcare industry and the country as a whole. In the seat of some of the civil rights movements’ most contentious (and violent) moments, a young, female, African-American urgent care professional has co-founded a pediatric urgent care center. Tiffany Alexander, 27, also serves as the operations manager …

As Flu Rates Climb, So Have Health-Related Absences for Providers (This Is Good News)

We’re fairly sure you recommend that sick patients stay home until they’re feeling better and, just as important, they’re no longer at risk of making their coworkers sick. This has never been more essential than during the recent severe flu seasons in the U.S. Fortunately, according to data just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more sick providers stayed home until they’d recovered than in recent years. In fact, health-related workplace absenteeism …

For the First Time in Decades, Opioid Overdose Deaths Are Down—but the Fight Continues

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported that deaths attributed to opioid overdose declined by 5% between 2017 and 2018—the first time they’ve fallen from one year to the next since 1990. This is no time for urgent care providers to rest on their laurels, however; the CDC says more than 68,000 people died from fatal drug overdoses in the United States last year. That’s still higher than the peak annual deaths from …

UCA Webinar: Ab Pain is a Vexing Complaint; an Evidence-Based Approach Can Save Lives

Patients complaining of abdominal pain in the urgent care center may be as common as they are concerning. Most of the time the cause will be relatively benign—but those that aren’t can go very badly very quickly. Consequently, the Urgent Care Association asked Michael Nelson, PA-C to host a webinar featuring the best, newest available literature on the subject. Evidence-Based Approach to Abdominal Pain in Urgent Care is scheduled for Thursday, August 1st at 1 …

Data Breaches Cost $2.2 Million Per Event; Prevention Could Save Your Business

Data breaches cost the United States healthcare system $6.2 billion in 2016, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Breaking the numbers down to the facility level over the entire survey period (2016–2018), HHS notes the average cost to each healthcare organization that experienced a breach was $2.2 million. If you haven’t been hit with a breach, consider yourself extremely lucky; roughly 80% of physicians have. HHS recommends taking …

Hurricane Barry Shut Down Urgent Care Centers—a Reminder That You Need a Disaster Plan

As predictions of high winds and flooding made headlines over the weekend, Louisiana urgent care centers who expected to see the brunt of the storm did their best to spread the word that they’d be closing up shop until the most dangerous conditions subsided. Local media carried reports of what healthcare facilities in general would be accessible, and operations such as Lafayette General Health got the word out through social media, as well, including updates …

Be Aware: West Nile ‘Season’ Is Starting Early, and It Could Be a Bad One

Half the states in the U.S. have already reported cases of West Nile virus this year. While the total number of cases is only 39, the concerning part is that West Nile “season” is generally considered to be the entire month of August. The fact that it’s already on the radar of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be a sign that it will be a heavy year. The type of disease identified …