Practice Management
Some urgent care operators are employing telemedicine to help identify patients who need to be tested or who need treatment for COVID-19 vs those who don’t—the idea being to keep people at home and out of healthcare facilities for as long as possible, if they need to go anywhere at all. ZOOM+Care is going one step further toward that goal by piloting a saliva-based, self-sample test that patients can do for themselves at home. The …
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Some urgent care operators are seeing patient visits—and associated revenue—dwindle as people heed advice to stay home, where they’re less inclined to get sick or injured. As this period of self-isolation continues, they may be forced to consider cutting back on staff—or worse. However, U.S. Senate Bill 3548, also known as the CARES Act, would provide bridge loans to companies with fewer than 500 employees. The bill is expected to be passed by the House …
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Whether due to longer shifts and potentially sicker patients, concern over their own and their families’ health, or angst over how best to help at a time of such great need, urgent care providers are experiencing more stress than ever. Recognizing this, Medical Economics posted a list of seven ways healthcare providers can practice mental health self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mental Health Survival Guide During COVID-19 starts by reminding the clinician that feeling …
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One thing that has become painfully clear as the COVID-19 pandemic continues is the fact that healthcare facilities are understocked on personal protective equipment. Of especially critical importance are reports that there are not enough N95 filtering facepiece respirators—the only type currently rated to protect the wearer from coronavirus—to meet current and growing needs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an advisory on maximizing the life of each unit. Among the tips …
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Urgent care operators probably hear the word contracting and think immediately of their dealings with payers. As such, they’re probably most familiar and comfortable with the dynamics of such agreements. What about the host of other legally binding agreements that are part and parcel of any business, though? The Urgent Care Association has engaged Kayla McCann Marty and Justin Knapp of McGuire Woods LLP to lead a webinar on this very topic. Non-Payer Business Contracting: …
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Business as usual is no longer an option for healthcare providers, including those who practice urgent care medicine. Whether your practice is seeing an influx of patients concerned that they’ve been infected with COVID-19 or not, it’s likely there are facilities in your area that are struggling under the weight of too many individuals seeking testing or treatment for the virus. A number of urgent care operators have adapted daily practices to meet the ever-changing …
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In contrast to premature (and sometimes downright erroneous) mainstream media reports about quick fixes for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have both released reliable information about progress toward corralling the outbreak. First, the FDA has issued an emergency-use authorization for a point-of-care test for emergency use in patients suspected of having COVID-19. The Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test (Cepheid) is intended for use in high- …
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With advice on COVID-19 seemingly changing several times a day, it’s essential to not let the volume of information overwhelm your ability to take care of your patients. Recognizing that, JUCM convened a webinar to highlight the utility of chest x-rays, among other methods, to help distinguish patients who have COVID-19 from those who merely have similar symptoms. Speakers Ana Echenique, MD, DABR and Michael Weinstock, MD led a discussion on red flags for the …
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Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc is Chief Executive Officer of Velocity Urgent Care and is Senior Editor, Practice Management of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. Urgent message: The Families First Coronavirus Act creates an obligation for small- and medium-sized businesses to pay employees who take time off work for specified reasons caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Affected employers must be prepared to implement the Act’s leave programs on or before April 2, 2020. Urgent …
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Our collective understanding of COVID-19 changes several times a day—as do procedures to ensure your urgent care operation receives the proper reimbursement for the indispensable services you provide. Just last week Experity released what was then new information on proper coding procedures; it’s outdated already, so the company has issued an update. Review it on the JUCM website to ensure you’ll be compensated fully and as efficiently as possible.
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