Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Compact Closer to Launching License Portability for Physician Assistants

Ohio became the latest state to embrace the PA Licensure Compact, a multistate portability agreement that allows physician assistants (PAs) to practice in any of the participating states without the need for an additional license. The compact now includes 13 states, which means an activation threshold has now been reached, according to the compact commission’s website. The entity can begin work to operationalize the compact with data systems and onboarding, which could take another year …

RSV Vaccine Proves Its Worth Against Hospitalization Risk

Older adults who receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine are 75% less likely to be hospitalized from RSV compared to those who are not vaccinated, according to a research letter in JAMA. By analyzing electronic medical record data from October 2023 to March 2024 for adults aged 60 years and older who were hospitalized with an acute respiratory illness, researchers selected a control group of 2,611 patients—who tested negative for RSV, COVID-19, and influenza—and …

AAPA Wants a Word With AMA To Clear The Air On Workforce Shortages

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) in July sent a letter to the American Medical Association (AMA) requesting a meeting between the 2 organizations to talk through what AAPA believes is AMA’s “disparaging rhetoric” about the physician associate (PA) profession. The meeting never happened, and according to a follow-up letter, AAPA says, “the continued silence from the AMA raises concerns about your commitment to collaboration and finding solutions to strengthen America’s health care workforce …

Forecasts Predict Which States Will Need More Doctors and NPs

By 2028, a nationwide shortage of 100,000 healthcare workers is expected, with certain states facing severe deficits, according to Mercer. The healthcare workforce is projected to grow to 18.6 million by 2028, a 1.5 million increase from 2023. Despite this growth, the anticipated shortfall of over 100,000 workers will further strain a healthcare system already struggling with access to care issues. Texas, California, and New York are expected to experience significant shortages of both physicians …

Pandemic Fears Sparked Hundreds of Attacks on Health Workers

Between January 2020 to January 2023, 18 healthcare workers were killed and another 147 were injured in incidents related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, according to findings published in Health Security. In addition, 33 workers were kidnapped, and more than 100 other incidents involved damage to facilities. Sadly, workplace violence is common in the healthcare setting, the authors note, and the published study aimed to identify incidents specifically related to the pandemic—such as aggression against …

New Houston High School Specializes in Healthcare Career Training

Memorial Hermann Health System and the Aldine, Texas, school district in the Houston area this month opened the doors of a health education trade school for high school students. The Health Education and Leadership (HEAL) High School delivers a curriculum that combines academic classes with hands-on learning for healthcare careers. Students participate in job-shadowing, simulation labs, paid healthcare internships, professional mentoring, and other work-based learning experiences, according to the school’s press release. Students choose from …

Predictions Point to Average Flu Season in 2024-2025

One clue that helps forecast the forthcoming respiratory virus season in North America is the trend data from the Southern Hemisphere’s experience. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the 2024 flu season, which is winding down this month, was similar to previous flu seasons in the Southern Hemisphere—a signal that northern countries may not see any particular highs or lows in terms of severity or case numbers. Flu activity in South …

Urgent Care Occupational Medicine Ensures Worker Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently investigated a serious case of violations of worker safety standards that led to a 31-year-old factory employee who developed accelerated silicosis ultimately needing a double lung transplant. Other workers at the same home-products manufacturing facility in Chicago also reported unresolved lung disease from breathing silica dust, including severe illness that will require a lung transplant for at least one more employee in the future. Urgent care operators …

ED Visit Times Increase Slightly To 163 Minutes

In 2023, the median emergency department (ED) visit time among U.S. hospitals was 163 minutes, an increase of just 1 minute over the previous year, according to new data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as reported by Becker’s. The latest dataset covers ED visits recorded from October 2022 through September 2023. Delta Health System’s Medical Center in Greenville, Mississippi, tops the list of hospitals or health systems with the longest median …

ADHD Drug Shortage Overlaps With Back-To-School

Just as students are returning to classrooms, the ongoing shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs shows no signs of letting up. Many pharmacies have been out of stock, and manufacturers are not entirely caught up, according to Axios. In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued an advisory to warn patients about potential access issues after the arrest and fraud indictment of 2 executives from a digital health company that …

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