Have you ever wondered if that 4th case of acute diarrhea and vomiting that you saw during your last shift in the urgent care may be related to the others? Have you ever seen a kid with a rash, and the thought of measles crossed your mind?
Does anyone else find themselves relying heavily on your EMR system's medication interaction checker when prescribing medications or considering medication management? If you're like me, it’s a vital part of my workflow.
The holidays may be over, but ‘tis still the season for slip and falls on the ice that result in tailbone and coccyx area injuries. Coccyx injuries are a common chief complaint in urgent care during this wintery, icy time of year. Classic coccydynia (aka coccyx pain) is worse when sitting and can worsen when rising from a seated position. At first glance, this seems like a straightforward chief complaint, but it lends itself to opportunities for a more nuanced discussion with patients.
As we usher in a new year, we find ourselves at the forefront of healthcare, continuously providing vital services and compassionate care to those in need. Amidst the challenges of the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, we must remember that we, too, deserve care and attention – not just for the sake of our well-being but also for the benefit of those we serve. According to an article published by the Journal of General Internal Medicine, nearly half of healthcare professionals are burned out. Burnout among healthcare providers has been shown to negatively impact patient safety, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. This new year presents a golden opportunity for us to prioritize self-care, fostering a healthier and more resilient healthcare workforce.
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.
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 both a good steward of antibiotics and maintain a high level of patient satisfaction?
We recently asked our Instagram followers whether or not they felt like antibiotic prescribing was linked to patient satisfaction. Here’s what they said:
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 go-to option. We’ve since learned that even short-term opioid prescriptions can lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction, making them a potentially risky choice for pain management.1 However, not all providers are comfortable or possess the knowledge to discuss safer and more effective alternatives to opioid medications.
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!
It’s August, which means sports physical season is upon us. Organized sports are an important way for children 6 and older to meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. However, it’s important for clinicians to use the sports or pre-participation physical examination (PPE) to identify who can safely participate in these activities and who needs further evaluation before they are cleared to participate.
In early April, the US Department of Justice sent out an email notifying clinicians of a new opioid-related training requirement for DEA registered-providers. Over the past several weeks, there's been chatter on social media and discussion boards about what this new training is, who needs it, and how to fulfill it. We're here to share that we're working on OUD Decoded: A DEA-Compliant Audio Course and will make it available by July 2023!
Our team dug through the internet (and read through the entire MATE Act 🤓) to deliver you the information below.
