Practice Management
The deadly Candida auris fungus was first identified in the United States about 10 years ago and has proven to have strong drug-resistance, at times demonstrating resistance to all 3 main classes of antifungal medicines, including echinocandins. And cases appear to be on the rise. Of the 1,052 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through April 26, 2025, a disproportionate number are occurring in Texas (241), Michigan (185), and Ohio (125). …
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A vaccine to prevent gonorrhea will soon be introduced in England and Wales as part of a targeted public health initiative—the first of its kind globally, according to health officials. Described as a “landmark moment for sexual health,” the program aims to address the rising rates of gonorrhea with preventive measures. The vaccine, originally developed to protect against meningococcal B disease, will be offered starting in early August at sexual health clinics commissioned by local …
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JUCM is now under the leadership of Lindsey E. Fish, MD, who serves as Editor in Chief and will guide and expand JUCM’s clinical content to advance the practice and professionalism of urgent care medicine worldwide. Fish is the Medical Director of Denver Health’s Peña Urgent Care Clinic in Denver, Colorado, a Federally Qualified Health Center urgent care clinic that delivers more than 27,000 visits per year. In her Medical Director role, she is responsible …
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A new study suggests there has been a rise in higher acuity coding across certain outpatient services. Among urgent care centers, the proportion of visits coded at higher complexity levels (CPT 99204 and 99205) increased overall from 34.0% in 2018 to 40.6% in 2023, while visits coded at level 1 (CPT 99202) declined from 9.5% to 2.9% over the same period. The most significant increases in high-intensity coding were observed in cases involving “blood and …
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A recent federal budget proposal that’s floating around Washington sketches out plans to eliminate parts of the Health Resources and Services Administration and its Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), according to a JAMA Network news article. A provisional budget outline specifically mentions eliminating 4 rural health programs meant to sustain critical access hospitals in distress with a 25% cut for FORHP’s budget in fiscal year 2026. The impact of the cuts could be …
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A recent analysis shows that job satisfaction no longer guarantees retention of clinical workers, and compensation is not the sole reason why clinicians might leave their jobs. Of the more than 730 physicians and advanced practice providers who answered a survey conducted in March 2025 by LocumTenens.com and Advisory Board, 41% say they are considering switching jobs within the next 2 years. About two-thirds say they’re satisfied with their current role, but 28% of the …
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Most Americans (83%) believe the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination has benefits that outweigh the possible risks, according to a survey from the University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, 83% of the 1,653 adults surveyed also say they are not worried that they or someone in their family will contract measles over the next 3 months, which makes sense considering the current rates of MMR vaccination and its high (97%) effectiveness. When asked about the current …
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From 2010 to 2024, healthcare data breach incidents in the United States rose significantly, with the total number of reported breaches increasing from 216 to 566—a 162% rise. Ransomware-involved cyberattacks across all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-covered entities increased from 0% of breaches in 2010 to 31% in 2021. However, by 2024, ransomware attacks more recently trended down to 11% of incidents (61 of the total 566 incidents for the year). Even more …
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When Cleveland Clinic announced a new policy beginning on June 1 that requires patients to pay their out-of-pocket copays when they arrive for their scheduled appointments, it created controversy for the high-profile nonprofit system. If a patient isn’t able to pay upon check-in for nonemergent appointments, it results in the appointment being cancelled. Urgent care is not included in the new policy, so patients visiting any of the Cleveland Clinic’s 42 centers will not need …
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A new survey of U.S. adults 50 aged years and older conducted in February by AARP further underscores the value of urgent care’s convenient access for communities. More than 80% of the 1,012 American adults sampled say there is an urgent care in their community, and 48% say they live within 10 minutes of an urgent care center. Another 27% say urgent care is 11-15 minutes away, 17% say it’s 16-30 minutes away, and just …
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