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September 22 -24, 2024
Earlier this week, Urgent Care operators and clinicians from across the Northeast descended upon the small town of Mashantucket, Conn. For two days, those practicing in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont enjoyed the camaraderie and education of the UCA’s Northeast chapter conference, Ready. Set. Grow.
Held at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, the NERUCA conference brought targeted information for those practicing in the Northeast, as well as ever-pertinent skills and clinical information. The conference was broken down into three tracks: Leadership, Clinical and Skills. Those attending the Leadership track heard from thought leaders and experts in both Urgent Care and healthcare technology.
The keynote session showcased different perspectives on similar issues, such as “Empowering Success Through Synergy” with Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care Ben Barlow, MD and SVP of Strategic Business Development at Experity Kevin Clarke. They spoke about unpacking consumer demands, provider behavior and sharing data for the betterment of Urgent Care, creating synergy between source supply and demand.
Leadership sessions included “Growing Profitable Revenues in a Maturing Urgent Care Industry,” “Contracting,” “Innovations in Urgent Care: Technology and Patient Care Models,” and “Government Affairs: Advocacy in Action.” UCA Advocacy Manager Kristin Rastatter joined NERUCA board members Jeannie Kenkare, DO, FAAFP, John Kulin, DO, FACEP, FCUCM, Jonathan Halpert, MD, FACEP and NERUCA lobbyist Danielle Secor for a lively discussion (followed up by plenty of Q&A) on legislative and regulatory items within the NERUCA region that have come into sharp focus over the last year for one reason or another. Kristin provided a national-level view of Urgent Care Advocacy, progress made to-date with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), tips for making grassroots progress and relationship building. The panel reminded the audience that everyone receives their own unique information that can either inform Advocacy strategies or help build relationships.
“We’re all part of the human intelligence network,” Halpert said.
Clinical sessions included sessions such as “Are You Prepared to Save a Life?” “ Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Action” “Respiratory Emergencies: A Comprehensive Review” and “Strategies for building an Occ Med Practice.” John Koehler MD, ABPM(OM) shared some of the key components of building a successful occupational medicine practice: having a good sales team that does not cross sell non-Occ Med services, understanding the nuances of employer satisfaction, standardized care and clinical decision support and regulatory exams.
After the first full day of sessions, attendees mixed and mingled with vendors and peers in the Exhibit Hall, learning about new solutions and technology to elevate their practices.
Tuesday featured three robust panel discussions around contract negotiation (including an outside perspective from orthopedic and prosthetics), a seller’s guide to mergers and acquisitions and AI in Urgent Care. Conversations around AI focused on moving toward explainable, “white box” models for scale and ensuring the tool is solving a real problem instead of fabricating one.
Under all of the content and connections, the core of NERUCA is regional Advocacy. This group of passionate and intelligent people are the future of Urgent Care in the Northeast. And the future is in good hands.
As Rastatter appropriately put it in her talk, “ I am in constant awe of you all.”
