Practice Management
JUCM has been fortunate to be on the forefront of research on SARS-CoV-2, from a headline-making article entitled Chest X-Ray Findings in 636 Ambulatory Patients with COVID-19 Presenting to an Urgent Care Center: A Normal Chest X-Ray Is No Guarantee way back in May 2020 right through this issue. The latest COVID research article we’re pleased to present focuses on infection rates of influenza type A/B and COVID in a federal qualified healthcare center in …
Read More
Vapocoolant and Digital Nerve Blocks Dosing Dexamethasone in Pediatric Asthma Infant Clean-Catch Urine Contamination Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in Children Treating Acute Diverticulitis Torus Wrist Fractures in Children Efficacy of Antiviral Treatment in COVID-19 Vapocoolant for Pain Reduction in Digital Nerve Blocks Take-home point: Application of vapocoolant prior to digital nerve blocking can reduce pain associated with skin puncture and local anesthetic infiltration. Citation: Selvi F, Bedel C, Akçimen M. Evaluation of vapocoolant spray effect on pain …
Read MoreMaximizing the Value of Urine Dipstick Testing Screening for Intimate Partner Violence Antibiotics for Children with RTI Azithromycin in Pediatric Viral Infection Self-Monitoring BP with Unvalidated Devices Modified Valsalva Maneuver in SVT To Mix or Not to Mix COVID-19 Vaccines? Ivan Koay, MBChB, FRNZCUC, MD Nitrofurantoin Resistance Take-home point: Proteeae group bacteria, which are often resistant to nitrofurantoin, normally result in alkaline (ie, high pH) urine on dipstick testing. Citation: Sheele J, Libertin C, Fink …
Read More
Immobilizing Ankle Fractures Treating Septic Olecranon Bursitis EKG Interpretation: Human vs Machine preHEART Score and Prehospital Care Rethinking Otitis Media Management Boosters Limit Risk for COVID—but by How Much? Ivan Koay MBChB, FRNZCUC, MD Casting vs Bracing for Ankle Fractures Take-home point: Plaster casting was not superior to functional ankle bracing for certain ankle fractures. Citation: Kearney R, McKeown R, Parsons H, et al. Use of cast immobilisation versus removable brace in adults with an …
Read More
When Handlebar Meets Abdomen Corticosteroids and Asthma Antibiotics in Pediatric PAC Surfactant Use in AOM COVID Pneumonia and Disease Progression Neutralizing Antibodies in COVID Pediatric Abdominal Injuries from Handlebars Take-home point: Handlebar impact is a high-risk mechanism for serious intraabdominal injury in children and necessity of operative intervention is common. Citation: Vanderwalle R, Barker S, Raymond J, et. al. Pediatric handlebar injuries: more than meets the abdomen. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021;37(9):e517-e523. Relevance: It is important …
Read More
Surgery—or Not—for Appendicitis? Oral Analgesics and Musculoskeletal Extremity Pain What Patient Don’t Know About Ionizing Radiation Risk with NSAIDs, Cox-2 Inhibitors, and Opioids in Fractures Inhaled Budesonide for COVID-19 Spread of COVID-19 within the Household Ivan Koay MBChB, FRNZCUC, MD Nonoperative Management of Acute Appendicitis Take-home point: This study adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that, in select patients, a nonsurgical approach to appendicitis management leads to similar outcomes. Citation: The CODA Collaborative …
Read More
Urgent message: Concern over the potential spread of COVID-19 may (or may not) have affected the timeliness with which parents chose to present with children who had symptoms concerning for acute otitis media, thereby throwing the concept of “delayed” antibiotic prescribing into question. Emily J. Montgomery, MD; Brian R. Lee, PhD, MPH; Amanda Montalbano, MD, MPH; Amanda Nedved, MD Citation: Montgomery RJ, Lee BR, Montalbano A, Nedved A. Time to presentation for acute otitis media …
Read More
POCUS in Ocular Presentations Experiencing—and Handling—Patient Biases Self-Swabbing for STIs CAM Boots for Toddler’s Fracture? Treating Children with Bronchiolitis Azithromycin in COVID-19 Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Eye Examination Take-home point: Ocular ultrasound (OUS) can be a quick, safe, and effective way to assess eye complaints and complements the clinical exam. Citation: Manton J, Henry C. Benefits to utilising ultrasound in examining the eye. Emerg Med Australas. 2021;33:745–747. Relevance: As availability of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) becomes more …
Read More
Stephen L. Adams, MBChB, FRNZCUC Like the rest of the world, New Zealand (and more particularly its healthcare system) has been changed, perhaps irrevocably, by COVID-19. Despite a relatively small direct effect on the population (0.06% infected, half of which were identified and isolated at border) with 0.0004% deaths1 (including one physician), the effects on primary care have been substantial. THE BEGINNING New Zealand clinicians were first notified of the Wuhan cluster in January 2020. …
Read MoreIn spite of the fact that urgent care was overlooked as an essential partner in the fight against COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, the virus had a major impact on the complaints that drove patients to visit an urgent care center. In fact, according to JUCM research, most of 2019’s top 5 chief complaints fell by at least half as a proportion of all urgent care visits. COVID-19, which was essentially a …
Read More