Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Modifiers for E/M Codes During Global Periods

Q. What is the official definition of “global period” as it applies to procedures in the urgent care center? When can we code an E/M in addition to the procedure? A. The actual definition of the global period differs slightly when it is defined by the AMA (CPT) and when it is defined by CMS (Medicaid/Medicare). CPT codes are published and copyrighted by the AMA. According to CPT as it applies to services rendered in …

Developing Data: April, 2009

In early 2008, UCA revamped its annual survey in conjunction with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University with the goal of assuring that the UCA Benchmarking Committee’s efforts produced a scientifically valid report. Over the coming months in Developing Data, JUCM will present some of the findings from this landmark survey, to which 436 urgent care centers responded. In this issue: What percentage of urgent care physicians rely on clinical guidelines for treatment …

Beware the BFRF!

John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP Remember the scene in Ghostbusters when Gozer (the Gozarian) asks Ray Stantz if he is a “god?” Stantz, compulsively honest, says, “No.” Gozer says, “Then die,” as he tries to blow them off the roof of the building. After recovering, Peter Venkman yells at Stantz, “If someone asks if you are a god, you say YES!” The question Gozer asked Stantz was a red flag – one of those …

An Introduction to Urgent Care Advertising

Urgent message: Unlike many other practice models, urgent care must appeal directly to the customer to stay “top of mind” and be the first option the patient considers when a need arises. Alan A. Ayers, MBA, MAcc Urgent care is a healthcare delivery channel built around the needs of consumers – “retail,” from a marketing perspective – with convenient locations, evening and weekend hours, walk-in service, the capability to treat a range of illness or …

Developing Data: March, 2009

In early 2008, UCA revamped its annual survey in conjunction with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University with the goal of assuring that the UCA Benchmarking Committee’s efforts produced a scientifically valid report. Over the coming months in Developing Data, JUCM will present some of the findings from this landmark survey, to which 436 urgent care centers responded. In this issue: How deeply is urgent care integrated within the larger U.S. healthcare system? …

The Quality of Care at Urgent Care Centers

Urgent message: New data reveal that urgent care compares favorably with other practice environments when it comes to select key quality indicators. Robin M. Weinick, PhD, Steffanie J. Bristol, BS, and Catherine M. DesRoches, DrPH Developing methods to assess the quality of healthcare in any clinical area is a complicated affair. Many individuals have devoted large parts of their careers to quality measurement, and several national organizations—such as The Joint Commission and the National Quality …

Developing Data: February, 2009

In early 2008, UCA revamped its annual survey in conjunction with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University with the goal of assuring that the UCA Benchmarking Committee’s efforts produced as scientifically valid report. Over the coming months in Developing Data, JUCM will present some of the findings from this landmark survey, to which 436 urgent care centers responded. In this issue: Who owns all those urgent care centers, anyway? Note that the entrepreneurial …

An Update on New vs. Established Patients

David Stern, MD Q.I read your column about new vs. established patient coding in the January Issue of JUCM. Although the information provided was correct at one time, I believe that Medicare has updated its algorithm to come closer to the algorithm provided by AMA for new vs, established patients. A.You are correct. In a somewhat obscure and rarely referenced information release. (www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM4032.pdf) CMS did change its position on this issue. “Physicians should not that …

Adjust Your Strategy for a Down Economy

There is a broad consensus that our country’s current recession will advance to become the harshest economic crisis we have faced since the Great Depression. On the surface, spiraling unemployment and broad-based financial pressures portend trouble for most urgent care clinics. Yet, crisis inevitably breeds opportunity if clinic owners avoid being caught like a deer in the headlights and proactively move forward. This month’s column addresses economic realities and what clinics can do now—not just …

How to Say ‘Farewell and Adieu’ to Owning Your Business

John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA, FACEP How do you know when it’s time to cut bait? Remember the scene in Jaws when Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is throwing fish guts into the ocean and comes face to face with the shark? He remarks, somewhat casually. “You’re going to need a bigger boat.” Despite the fact that everyone in the theater is yelling “run for your life,” the trio then decides to continue after the …