The College of Urgent Care Medicine
Joint Position Statement from UCCOP and CUCM on “Urgent Care Kits”
The Urgent Care College of Physicians (UCCOP) and the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) jointly affirm our commitment to evidence‑based practice, responsible prescribing and the highest standards of patient safety. In alignment with these principles, we do not support the development, distribution or promotion of so‑called “Urgent Care kits” that include pre‑packaged antibiotics, steroids or other prescription medications intended for unsupervised
use.
Click here to read the CUCM and UCCOP position.
Support of ACOG Position on Acetaminophen
The Urgent Care College of Physicians and the College of Urgent Care Medicine support the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) position and scientifically-based statement on acetaminophen’s safety and benefits during pregnancy, finding “no significant associations between use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.”
Click here to read the ACOG position.
Combating Healthcare Misinformation
Healthcare misinformation, including the marketing and/or distribution or prescribing of medications not backed by research and evidence-based medicine, poses significant risks to public health.
Click Here to read the CUCM position on Combating Healthcare Misinformation.
Removal of Government Healthcare Websites
The College of Urgent Care Medicine strongly opposes the recent removal of critical health information from federal websites, including the CDC and NIH.
Click Here to read the CUCM Position on the Removal of Government Healthcare Websites.
Corticosteroid Stewardship
Steroid stewardship is the systematic effort to administer or prescribe glucocorticoids in a rational, evidence-based manner, balancing any benefits and the potential risks. There is evidence that even a short course of CS increases the risk of fracture, blood clots, GI bleeding, mood changes, sleep disturbances, heart failure, and sepsis.
Click Here to read the UCA/ CUCM Position on Corticosteroid Stewardship.
X-Ray Image Read & Interpretation
In May 2021, the American College of Radiology’s Council issued its resolution: “Nonphysician members of the healthcare team, such as radiologic technologists, nurses and others, should not be involved in the interpretation of an imaging examination…”
Click Here to read the UCA/ CUCM Position on the Read & Interpretation of X-ray Images
Syphilis – Benzathine Penicillin G Shortage
The CUCM Clinical Response Committee supports the use of benzathine penicillin G for the treatment of primary and secondary syphilis per CDC guidelines. We recommend clinics stock benzathine penicillin G if possible. If this is not feasible, or unavailable, we recommend aligning with your local public health department or other local clinic or hospital to arrange for patients to receive benzathine penicillin G in a timely fashion. Patients should be treated with doxycycline only if no other option for benzathine penicillin G exists.”
Click Here to read the UCA/ CUCM Position on Benzathine Penicillin G
Eliminating Preventable Maternal Mortality
The goals of this multidisciplinary effort include:
Statement Supporting Modernization of Physician Assistant Practice
The Urgent Care Association (UCA) and College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) strongly support modernizing Physician Assistant (PA) practice. UCA and CUCM together are the largest trade and professional associations in urgent care with more than 4000 member centers representing urgent care clinical and business professionals from the United States and abroad.
Click Here to read the UCA/CUCM Statement Supporting Modernization of Physician Assistant Practice
Statement on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination of Health Care Workers
July 28, 2021 – Due to the recent COVID-19 surge and the availability of safe and effective
vaccines, the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) and Urgent Care Association (UCA) join our fellow
healthcare associations and organizations in advocating that all health care employers require their workers to
receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Click Here to read the UCA/CUCM Joint Policy Statement on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination of Health Care Workers.
Urgent Care Providers Respond to AMA’s Principles for Urgent Care
June 24, 2021 – During its June 2021 Special Meeting, the American Medical Association House of Delegates adopted a policy calling on entities that establish or operate urgent care centers to follow several principles focusing on the value of urgent care visits as complements to the primary care physician or usual source of care.
Click Here to read the UCA/CUCM Statement: Urgent Care Providers Respond to AMA’s Principles for Urgent Care.
Urgent Care Industry Responds to Criticism of UnitedHealthcare’s ER Policy
June 17, 2021 – The recent criticism of UnitedHealthcare’s ER policy plans (to review ER visits that were non-emergencies and consider changes in coverage) by the American Hospital Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians intimated that patient safety would be compromised if patients chose initially to be seen in a lower-cost site of care, such as an urgent care center.
Click Here to read the UCA/CUCM Statement: Urgent Care Industry Responds to Criticism of UnitedHealthcare’s ER policy