Practice Management
Cases of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the United States have been creeping up slowly but steadily since 2016 for several years now—to the extent that there are now over then 15,000 active cases across the country. Over half of those (57%) have resulted in hospitalizations, and 140 people have died. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just issued an advisory on its Health Alert Network for patients, public health departments, healthcare …
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Urgent care has made its mark on the U.S. healthcare system by offering high-quality care on a walk-in basis, with one of the guiding principles being that it’s an appropriate setting for any patient who is not experiencing life- or limb-threatening symptoms. That doesn’t mean patients with that level of complaint never walk through the door, however. Patients experiencing chest pain may be inclined to present to urgent care if it’s the closest healthcare facility, …
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Really knowing what patients thought of the care you provided can equate to a priceless opportunity to both see where your urgent care center can improve and understand how to tailor your marketing message. The problem, according to a new article published in BMJ Quality & Safety, is that too many patients are reluctant to give you an honest assessment. Out of 10,212 patient–participants, 47% admitted they experienced a problem during a recent hospital stay. …
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Warmer weather means a lot of things in the United States—putting away the heavy coats, longer daylight hours, more time outside—but not necessarily the end of flu season, especially this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just issued a new warning that even though the H1N1 strain of influenza that has dominated the 2018–2019 season is on the wane, there’s been a recent uptick in cases of the stronger H3N2 strain. During the …
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You’ve read here about the advent of urgent care facilities dedicated to mental health issues. Psychiatric urgent care has not gained much traction thus far, however. That doesn’t mean such patients will stop presenting, of course. By the time patients do present due to mental health concerns, in fact, they’re likely to be in full-blown crisis or possibly in the throes of a drug-induced event. As always, the first priority is to assess the current …
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The terms annual wellness exam and annual physical may cover some of the same territory, but thinking they’re one and the same could be a costly mistake for your patient (which, of course, would be a second-hand costly mistake for you if that irate patient chooses to stop visiting your facility when they need same-day care or starts badmouthing you to their friends and family). This may be an especially complicated issue in urgent care. …
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Many media outlets (including this one) have sounded the alarm that there’s a burnout crisis going on among American healthcare providers. And it’s true—but it’s not necessarily the whole story, as revealed in a new study of 5,000 physicians by the American Academy of Family Physicians. A sizeable majority (71%) report being “happy” in their professional lives, with 59% saying they are satisfied with their lives in general. The work-related complaints they do have are …
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The intersection of uninsured Americans and the high cost of medications is a dangerous one. One aspect that may go under-recognized amid the politicized headlines is exactly how some patients choose to cope with shortfalls or gaps in coverage. And it may affect more patients than you realize; according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around one-third of uninsured American say they did not take their medication as prescribed in …
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Even before telemedicine has reached full-on acceptance in urgent care, the next step in the evolution of remote healthcare “visits” may be in progress as we speak. A company called OnMed is launching self-contained, unstaffed “pods” that will facilitate remote access to a healthcare provider and allow a patient to receive medication without taking another step. Each unit is designed with capabilities for measuring height and weight; determining body temperature; and measuring blood pressure, respiration, …
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WellStar Health System increased its urgent care center by one-third in a single day, with the announcement that it bought five facilities from Medpost Urgent Care, all in the Atlanta area. WellStar now operates 15 urgent care locations. The system took advantage of the attention local media gave the deal by spelling out the services it (and most urgent care centers) are able to provide on a walk-in basis, including not only assessment and treatment …
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