What Does Being an Emergency Medicine PA Look Like? (Part 1)

Writing about a day in the life of an emergency medicine PA only paints a small picture of what it truly takes to become an EM PA.  A “typical” workday will look entirely different for every PA due to the nuances of the ED setting and the part of the ED a PA is assigned to.  So, our goal here is to paint a full picture of the many facets of working as a PA in emergency medicine and to demonstrate what makes us an integral part of the team. ...

By Jen Swisher, PA-C on

October 04, 2023

PAs Go Beyond in Urgent Care: Celebrating PA Week

In the fast-paced world of urgent care, PAs are indispensable. This PA Week, we highlight the remarkable opportunities for professional growth and development for PAs within the urgent care space, both inside and outside the exam room.

By Hippo Urgent Care RAP Team on

October 03, 2023

Breast Cancer Screening in Patients with Dense Breasts

Breast cancer screening can be complicated; sometimes it’s more than just a mammogram. For example, when a screening mammogram report says a person has dense breasts, what does that really mean? Why is it important, and what should we do about it?

By Neda Frayha, MD on

October 02, 2023

Xyalazine, aka Tranq, is the Newest Drug on the Block

As clinicians it’s critical that we understand the drugs our patients are using and can identify their side effects, but it can be tough to keep up.

An emerging threat across the country is the use of xylazine, or “tranq.” Xylazine is an animal sedative, muscle relaxant and analgesic with a potent central nervous system depressant effect in humans. This tranquilizer is frequently added to various drug mixtures sold on the street.Tranq can...

By Kelly Heidepriem, MD on

September 13, 2023

Antibiotic Stewardship

Can you be a good steward of antibiotics and maintain high levels of patient satisfaction? It depends! 

As we move into cold and flu season, we know the number of patient antibiotic requests  will be on the rise. 

We all know the  importance of antibiotic stewardship and the impact of inappropriate antibiotic use. We also know the significance of patient satisfaction, especially in urgent care medicine. This begs the question: Can you be...

By Hippo Urgent Care RAP Team on

September 11, 2023

Exploring Non-Opioid Pain Treatments in the Urgent Care

Treating acute pain is a challenge we face during every urgent care shift. We’re all aware of the devastation that the opioid crisis has had on millions of people worldwide. And this epidemic - marked by addiction, overdose, and unintended consequences - has highlighted the need for alternative treatments to manage pain. As clinicians, we regularly encounter patients wanting or expecting opioids to treat their pain. For years, opioids were...

The Fight Against the Tripledemic: Key Vaccine Updates for Fall

With Fall comes the start of cold and flu season. Whether you work in a family medicine clinic, urgent care, emergency department, pediatric office, or specialty clinic, you can’t escape the nasty viruses that cause upper respiratory infections and wreak havoc on our immune systems. 

By Katy Vogelaar, NP on

September 07, 2023

SNOT this Season RSV

If you’re on the frontlines of the emergency department, you’ve probably noticed the uptick in respiratory infections and viruses in the early kick-off to 2023’s respiratory season.

As we brace for fall and winter, it looks like we’ll have additional tools in our arsenal to decrease complications and hospitalizations from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): adult vaccines and a monoclonal antibody for all infants.

Three different vaccines...

By Jen Swisher, PA-C on

September 06, 2023

Preceptor Pearls: Take CARE with Chest Pain

In our May blog post, we introduced you to the CARE acronym (Common, Atypical, Rare, Emergent) to help students formulate differential diagnosis. Over the next few months, we want to apply the CARE acronym to some chief complaints. We hope this will be helpful to you as you’re precepting students. Share this blog post and graphics with them during their next shift! 

By Katy Vogelaar on

August 15, 2023

Fentanyl Test Strips: Coming to an ED Near You

We are all learning how to be good stewards of prescription opioids which has resulted in a significant downward trend in dispensing rates over the past decade. However, the number of fatal overdoses due to fentanyl continues to rise. ​​

Attention Pediatricians: Fulfill Your DEA Requirement Here!

Everyone’s buzzing with the news of the DEA’s new opiate training requirement for healthcare providers. That’s right - as of  June 27th, 2023, any physician who applies for DEA renewal needs to certify completion of an 8-hour, one-time training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance-use disorders. 

By Karen Hovav, MD on

August 09, 2023

Chapter Summary: Short course antibiotics for common infections

When it comes to treating pediatric infections, many of us default to prescribing a 10 day course of antibiotics. Join Parul and Sol as they discuss which common infections can actually be effectively treated with a shorter duration of antibiotics.