Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Assessing Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in the Urgent Care Center

Urgent message: Vaginal bleeding is a common presentation in the urgent care setting. An assessment of hemodynamic status, as well as an understanding of potential causes, is necessary to initiate treatment and triage the patient correctly. Thomas Sunshine, MD Introduction Patients presenting with what they perceive to be vaginal bleeding will not know whether that bleeding is specifically uterine, cervical, or (rarely) vaginal in origin. It is incumbent upon the urgent care provider to have …

An Approach to Wound Care in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Understanding the body’s natural ability to heal itself – and factors that diminish that ability – is of great clinical value and can help you determine whether a wound is acute or chronic, and inform the decision to clean and dress or refer to a wound specialist. Michael S. Miller, DO, FACOS, FAPWCA, CWS and Eric Newgent, DO, MS Introduction The skin is the largest organ in the human body. In simplest terms, …

March 2010

February 2010

The Traveling Patient

Urgent message: The accessibility of urgent care makes it a prime venue for patients preparing for international travel and patients who may have become ill due to exposure to infectious agents while traveling overseas. Francine Olmstead, MD, FACP Whether a patient visits an urgent care center for an infection or a primary care physician for follow-up, every healthcare provider should inquire about anticipated overseas travel. In addition, if a patient is being evaluated for a …

Assessment, Intervention, and Disposition of Patients with Psychiatric Symptoms

Urgent message: Assessment of patients presenting with psychiatric conditions requires amodified set of skills compared with traditional medical assessment. Urgent care clinicians must be prepared to determine appropriate interventions—treatment, referral, or both. Gregory P. Brown, MD Introduction Typically, the interaction between clinicians and patients presenting with psychiatric conditions is guided by information obtained from the interview, history, and physical examination rather than emphasizing laboratory or radiological testing. Therapeutic options may be challenged by a lack …

Identifying and Treating Superficial Fungal Infections in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Rashes often lead patients to seek relief in the urgent care center. The ability to differentiate among common, superficial fungal infections and to select the most appropriate treatment or refer is an important skill to master. Kosta G. Skandamis, MD and George Skandamis, MD Introduction Superficial fungal infections are among the most common skin conditions seen in the urgent care setting. Dermatophytes are the most common type of fungi that infect and survive …

December 2009

Treating Common Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in an Era of Increasing Antibiotic Resistance

Urgent message: Thorough evaluation and thoughtful prescribing can help ensure responsible, effective care and patient satisfaction. Joseph Toscano, MD Introduction Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are among the most common reasons patients seek assistance in urgent care practice. The common cold, otitis media, acute sinusitis, and acute pharyngitis are well known to patient and provider alike. Acute bronchitis is a lower respiratory tract infection, with features similar to URTIs. These infections are most often self-limited …

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