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What Are Nicotine Pouches? The Dangerous Trend Hooking Teens

There’s always a new trick up Big Tobacco’s sleeve.  First it was flavored cigarettes, then e-cigs that looked like USB drives.  Now?  It’s minty  little pouches that slide quietly between lip and gum—no smoke, no spit, no smell, no shame.  Just a smooth jolt of nicotine.

Jen Janocha, PA-C
By Jen Janocha, PA-C on
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A Love Letter to PAs: Celebrating PA Week at Hippo

Every October, we pause to celebrate physician assistants (PAs)—a profession built on compassion, adaptability, and teamwork. At Hippo, we’re proud to have PAs not only caring for patients across the country, but also shaping the way clinicians learn and grow.

Katie Iverson, PA-C
By Katie Iverson, PA-C on
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Orthodontic Emergencies in Urgent Care: What You Need to Know

Orthodontic devices are becoming increasingly common among patients of all ages. As a result, urgent care providers are likely to encounter complications involving these appliances more frequently—anything from poking wires to trauma-related bracket dislodgement. Your role is to stabilize the patient, relieve discomfort, and facilitate appropriate follow-up with their orthodontist.

This guide outlines common orthodontic issues encountered...

Geoff Comp, DO
By Geoff Comp, DO on
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Environmental Myth-Busting: What Clinicians Really Need to Know

Geoff Comp, DO
By Geoff Comp, DO on
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You Want to Start a Pediatric Private Practice? Here's What to Know

So, you're a general pediatrician dreaming of building your own private practice. No bureaucracy, full creative control, and the joy of shaping a practice that reflects your values. Sounds exciting, right? But then reality sets in: where do you even begin?

Liza Mackintosh, MD
By Liza Mackintosh, MD on
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Atraumatic Spinal Compression Fractures

Am I allowed to say that figuring out atraumatic back pain is a pain in the behind? While the differential diagnosis is wide and we can’t forget all of the life-threatening causes of back pain, atraumatic spinal compression fractures remain among the differential. These fractures can present subtly, without any clear injury, which means urgent care clinicians need a high index of suspicion.

Kelly Heidepriem, MD
By Kelly Heidepriem, MD on
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The Febrile Toddler: Diagnosis and Management of Fever in Ages 3 to 36 Months

Few chief complaints in pediatrics are as common—or deceptively simple—as fever in children. Especially when that fever shows up in toddlers without a clear source.

Karen Hovav, MD
By Karen Hovav, MD on
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Biologics 101: What Clinicians Need to Know

Biologic medications have transformed the treatment landscape for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. While initiation often comes from specialists like rheumatologists, dermatologists, and allergists, clinicians are increasingly likely to encounter patients who are taking or being considered for biologic therapy. Understanding how these medications work, what conditions they treat, and the safety implications is essential for...

Katy Vogelaar, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE
By Katy Vogelaar, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE on
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"Can You Test My Hormone Levels?"– A Primary Care Clinician's Guide to a Tricky Question

By Micaela Bowers, MD and Ashley Greer PA-C on
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Snake Bites and Antivenom: Tales from the Pit and What You Need to Know

I grew up on a military base near a small border town in New Mexico. As a child of the 90s, the ideas of what were considered reasonable and safe childhood activities differed greatly from today's standards. A shining example of this was at Moore's Trading Post, a local pawn shop and military surplus store just a few miles from the city limits. They were most famous for their rattlesnake pit near the entrance to the shop. 

Matthew Hall, CRNP
By Matthew Hall, CRNP on
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Managing Financial Toxicity with Prescription Drug Costs

Let’s be honest: most of us in healthcare didn’t learn about how much medications actually cost our patients when we trained. The system is opaque, the rules are ever-changing, and even the language is confusing. 

Micaela Bowers, MD
By Micaela Bowers, MD on
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Pyloric Stenosis: Don’t Miss This Classic Diagnosis

Imagine this: a 4-week-old infant is brought to your urgent care with persistent vomiting. The parents are anxious, the baby looks a bit dry, and your differential is wide. Does pyloric stenosis come to mind?

Jackie McDevitt-Capetola, PA-C
By Jackie McDevitt-Capetola, PA-C on
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