This edition of Urgent Caring comes following the wrap-up of the Urgent Care Convention, and what a great convention it was! If you attended, thank you for joining us on this adventure to discover how we can effectively drive change in our industry. If you couldn’t attend, you really missed out on some fantastic lectures, keynotes, networking, and vendors sharing the latest and greatest tools to help us practice Urgent Care.
One of the most interesting messages that resonated with us was from the keynote speaker, Nick Webb, who spoke about Chaotic Innovation. From him we learned that the world is rapidly changing whether we like it or not, and that we should embrace these changes. We must be innovative in the way we deliver care. He urged us to think of patients as consumers and to understand that they want on-demand healthcare now more than ever, with multiple platforms to access care. We need to think outside of the box and develop ways to use technology to our advantage and stay ahead of the ever-changing curve.
From Dr. Sharon Grossman, we learned how to prevent burnout before it happens. We need to take care of ourselves, eliminate resentment, care for our coworkers and employees to help foster a kinder workplace environment, and find joy in Urgent Care again.
The Pediatric Urgent Care Conference, from PM Pediatrics, supplied current recommendations for our littlest patients. Clinical lectures for the main convention varied from 20-minute quick picks on short subjects, to standard lectures on evidence-based topics. We saw the first ever Urgent Care Learning Lab with on demand videos and poster presentations. There were also hands-on sessions in suturing, epistaxis, and other topics.
It’s a busy time at the convention with lots of learning, but by far, our my opinion, the best part is getting away from the daily grind and networking with like-minded folks. Meeting people from all over the country, and even the world, and realizing that the challenges we face are the same, discovering others’ solutions, and validation that we are not alone in this. We always leave the convention with a renewed sense of purpose, optimism, and love for our industry.
Whether you were there or couldn’t make it, it’s all going to happen again next year (and will be here sooner than we think)! If you would like to contribute, we would love you to start thinking about how you can become part of the action. A call for speakers and presenters will be published by July 15 and closes October 15. We will be returning to Las Vegas, April 13-17, 2024. Look for other exciting activities as well. Block your schedule now so you can get the time off and come see what all the buzz is about! Bring a co-worker. Whether you are a presenter, or just take it all in — you won’t be disappointed!
This edition of Urgent Caring should also not disappoint. We are reviewing the evidence-based best practice on syphilis, as well as presenting a relevant case written by one of our fellows in Urgent Care. There is a review on thrush and nail avulsion injuries. We will also have our usual content from Hippo Education, EB Medicine, UC Max, The Laceration Course, and an editorial from a UCA Board Past-President, Pam Sullivan, MD, FCUCM. New to this edition is a Spotlight on Our Members. We are proud of how far this publication has come in the last two years and hope you enjoy it. As always, feedback and participation in future editions is always welcome. And don’t forget to claim the FREE CME.
Last but not least, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the diligent and invaluable peer reviewers who have contributed their expertise and time to ensure the quality and integrity of our publication. In this issue we thank: Sean McNeely MD, FCUCM, Ivan Koay MD, Joseph Toscano MD, FCUCM, Jessica Kovalchick RPA-C, Chris Chao, MD, and Jackie McDevitt PA-C.
