Practice Management
CNBC, The Washington Post, and LinkedIn have all reported on the growing phenomenon of workers who “ghost” their employers—essentially, leaving their job without providing notice and cutting off all contact with the company without explanation. While the poor ethics and etiquette of that practice are beyond question, there could be serious legal consequences if it happens in the urgent care setting. And it does happen—even among physicians and other clinical staff; some leave at the …
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North Carolina’s state treasurer would like to see his state become the second in the country to align healthcare reimbursements with Medicare rates. The proposal is already being slammed by hospital systems and the North Carolina Healthcare Association on the grounds that any savings realized by the health plan and its members will come at the expense of overall quality of care across the state. However, Dale Folwell claims the plan he’d like to implement …
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The pressure to demonstrate the value you provide to employers, compared with telemedicine, on-site clinics, and other venues for on-demand primary care, is increasing as employer health system networks continue to become more exclusive. An article posted recently by HealthLeaders suggests that employers and insurers believe tightening their provider selections will raise quality and cut costs. Regardless of whether that logic proves fruitful in the end, the result today is that provider networks are smaller. …
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Every October (or earlier), the call goes up that it’s time for patients to get their annual flu shot. Urgent care providers are inundated with messages from all corners of healthcare, pleading with them to vaccinate as many people as time and patient preference allows. Advances in artificial intelligence could put a stop to that at some point, however. No, it can’t program patients to follow your advice by getting immunized. Rather, as noted in …
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It’s typical for healthcare providers who are licensed in one state to be permitted to treat patients only in that state. A new set of regulations could open to door to treating patients in multiple states, however—at least virtually. Currently, 24 states belong to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which reduces barriers that prohibit providers from treating patients in multiple states if they’re only licensed in one. Physicians do have to apply and pay fees …
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Cases of multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections have increased nearly 32% across 26 states and the District of Columbia over the past 6 weeks, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC and public health officials in some affected states have traced the cases back to raw turkey products. Urgent care providers should be vigilant for patients presenting with nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, chills, headache, or blood in …
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The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) was created to record malpractice payments, disciplinary action, restrictions of privileges, and other red flags for physicians who may be less likely to provide excellent care for others. Unfortunately, as with any solution to a real problem, it’s not perfect. Providers with poor records may not get flagged in spite of past transgressions. That can present a real problem when you’re trying to hire clinical staff in a hurry. …
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A few weeks ago, we warned you about clusters of multiple, vaccine-preventable infection in North Carolina and South Carolina. Add New Jersey and New York to the list of states with communities seeing outbreaks of measles at present. The New Jersey Department of Health has confirmed 33 cases of measles in two counties; all three of the cases in one of those counties occurred in the same household, and nine cases confirmed in the other …
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Constant distractions, overindulging in alcohol, the potential for slick driving conditions, and other seasonal risks add up to greater likelihood of injury and illness at this time of year—making for an estimated increase of 10% to 15% in trips to urgent care centers and emergency rooms, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Holiday decorating alone accounts for roughly 15,000 trips to the ED. Further, many people spend the holidays far from home—and far away …
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Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) jumped onto the general public’s radar screen in 2018, thanks to the greatest number of cases ever in the U.S. With 10 days left on the calendar for this year, there have been 158 confirmed cases in 36 states. While that’s still a relatively low number, widespread media coverage has made parents acutely aware of the potentially devastating and long-lasting effects, perhaps driving many to visit the local urgent care center when …
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