Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Oral Drug Offers Options For Complicated UTI

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this month approved tebipenem pivoxil for adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including pyelonephritis, in patients who have limited or no alternative oral treatment options. Marketed as Utebzi, it is one of the more significant antibiotic approvals in recent years because it is the first oral carbapenem antibiotic available in the United States, according to manufacturer GSK. Until now, carbapenems (eg, ertapenem, meropenem, and imipenem) have generally required …

Small Rise in Tetanus Warrants Attention

Cases of tetanus in the United States rose from 17 in 2020 to 38 in 2025, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prompting public health experts to suggest that Americans might check their vaccine status and consider boosters when appropriate. CDC reported that from 2009–2023 there were 402 reported tetanus cases nationwide—an average of about 27 cases per year with 37 total deaths. However, other signs indicate …

AI Model Expands ECG’s Diagnostic Potential

An AI model developed by researchers at New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for use in detecting structural heart disease through electrocardiograms (ECGs), according to a news release. Known as EchoNext, the deep learning model was trained to detect a broad range of structural abnormalities, as published in Nature: The model analyzes a routine 12-lead ECG and estimates whether a patient is likely to …

Endometriosis, Dysmenorrhea Linked to STI Diagnoses

In an analysis of 3.4 million women under age 40, researchers in Japan found a strong association between menstrual-related disorders (ie, endometriosis or dysmenorrhea) and diagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Among the 257,897 women with these conditions, STI diagnoses were consistently 4.31–5.29 times more common than among women without the disorders, as published in PLOS One. Genital chlamydia infection showed the largest absolute difference, affecting 3.53% of women with menstrual-related disorders compared with 0.67% of …

New mRNA Flu Shot Would Offer Timely Response To Circulating Flu Strains

If approved, a new seasonal flu shot would become the first commercially available flu vaccine using mRNA technology, according to a news release. Moderna’s seasonal influenza vaccine mRNA-1010 (marketed as mFlusiva) has not yet received final Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, but it has reached a major milestone. On June 18, the agency’s vaccine committee voted unanimously that the mRNA vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks for adults aged 50 years and older, as published …

New Glucose Monitor Measures Glycemic Trends For Kids

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor (CGM) indicated for children aged 2 years and older who do not use insulin, according to an agency news release. The wearable device continuously measures glucose levels and displays readings and trends through a smartphone application, which can be used on a caregiver’s device. Real-time glucose data—measured every 15 minutes—is intended to help children and their parents better understand the effects …

Last Season’s COVID Vaccine Reduced Critical Illness

Researchers found high effectiveness of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine among adults treated across 381 emergency department and/or urgent care sites and 246 hospitals in 6 states between September 2024 and September 2025, as published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine. Among adults, vaccination was associated with a 26% reduction in COVID-19–related emergency department and urgent care visits, a 35% reduction in COVID-19–related hospitalizations, and a 41% reduction in critical illness compared with no vaccine. Protection …

Recent Gout Flares Linked to Tachyarrhythmia Risk

Researchers from England and Sweden found that newly diagnosed tachyarrhythmia is associated with recent gout flares, as published in The Lancet Primary Care. In the English cohort, 20,157 patients with incident tachyarrhythmia were compared with 76,835 matched controls. In the Swedish cohort, 1,995 cases were compared with 6,086 controls. In both populations, a gout flare within the previous 30 days was associated with significantly greater odds of a new tachyarrhythmia diagnosis, most commonly atrial fibrillation …

AMA Doubles Down on Limits For Artificial Intelligence

The American Medical Association (AMA) developed a new set of policies at its recent annual meeting of the AMA House of Delegates to help ensure that AI is used to augment, not replace, physician decision-making, as outlined in a press release. While the policies aim to address a broad range of healthcare AI applications, they reinforce basic principles for payers and providers that use AI-powered tools. Not surprisingly, the association opposes the use of autonomous …

Urgent Care Compensates PAs Well: AAPA Survey

The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) released results from a new survey examining salaries, hourly wages, and total compensation for physician associates—also known as physician assistants or PAs. Among practice specialties, urgent care PAs ranked sixth in median total compensation, earning $152,397 annually. In terms of compensation models, 58% of urgent care PAs receive a salary, and 65% are eligible to earn a bonus. Respondents reported a median annual base compensation of $141,449 and …

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