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It’s hard to help patients quit smoking. Many of us, myself included, received limited training in tobacco cessation and may harbor misconceptions about effective treatments. To clear the air, we invited Michael Baca-Atlas, MD, our addiction medicine specialist, to join us on Primary Care RAP to debunk some common myths about tobacco cessation. Here are some highlights from that conversation.
Insect bites and stings are a common nuisance during warm summer months when people spend more time outdoors attracting insects with their body heat, sweat, and odor . While most bites and stings are harmless, it’s important to recognize the potential for severe medical conditions. Here’s a breakdown of common insects and what you might expect from their bites or stings.
Gastroenteritis is a common urgent care diagnosis, but clinicians tend to default to it because they lack a better explanation for a patient's GI symptoms. Don’t fall into the same trap as a fellow urgent care provider from New York who missed a case of testicular torsion masquerading as a benign GI complaint.
As the parent of a tween girl, I'm acutely aware of the risks associated with her eventual exposure to social media. As a family, we have been holding out on a smartphone for as long as possible (we signed the Wait Until 8th Pledge). We also plan to follow the current recommendations to wait until age 16 for social media exposure.
As a physician in the pediatric emergency department, I see a surge in sports-related injuries with the arrival of summer and baseball season. Baseballs (and sometimes bats!) have a particular affinity for finding the pediatric eyes that make their way to my hospital. The eyes are one of those “black box” organs with their own language and pathology.
Is there anything more bread and butter in emergency medicine than intubating patients in high-stress situations? With five million adults needing emergency intubation annually, staying updated on intubation best practices is crucial. The PRagmatic trial Examining OXygenation prior to Intubation (PREOXI), just published in the NEJM and discussed on ERcast in this free segment, could revolutionize our approach to preoxygenation and, most...
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Recently, one of my primary care patients sent me a routine question through the electronic medical record, asking when they should get a specific blood test to guide their medication dosing. When an hour went by and I hadn’t responded, my patient called the front desk of our clinic to ask the question over the phone and inquire why I hadn’t written back. They also wrote me another message, voicing their disappointment that I hadn’t...
Every June, Men’s Health Month serves as a reminder to focus on men’s health, encouraging early detection and treatment of diseases. It aims to raise awareness about preventable health problems, promote healthy living, and encourage men to seek regular medical advice. In this blog post, we delve into the significance of Men’s Health Month and recommend essential screenings every man should prioritize.
Are you captivated by the adrenaline-filled environment of emergency medicine (EM)? You’re not alone. EM attracts 12.5% of PAs, making it a popular choice among advanced practice providers. But how do you get started in such a fast-paced, varied, and occasionally high-stakes practice environment?
In the ever-evolving field of urgent care, staying abreast of the latest knowledge and practices is crucial. We're excited to announce that we launched five new videos along with detailed written summaries focusing on common acute care injuries and procedures. These enhancements equip you with the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to walk confidently into your next UC shift.
In the high-stakes world of medicine, where every decision holds weight, the inevitability of human error can loom large over clinicians. It's a reality we all face, yet admitting our mistakes and grappling with their aftermath can be one of the most challenging aspects of our profession. How do we reconcile our desire for perfection with the reality of fallibility? How do we move forward gracefully and resiliently after making a clinical...
Warm weather is here, and with it comes BBQs, longer days, and plenty of fun in the sun. Unfortunately, it also means more fishing hooks flying into unexpected places—including, occasionally, someone’s skin. This often presents a unique challenge for urgent care clinicians as we debate how to safely remove that stubborn hook and get our patients back to enjoying their day.
