Training Our Teams to Meet the Needs of Our Patients
The author argues that many Urgent-Care centers default to reducing capabilities (“we can’t do that test,” “we can’t have our MA do this”) rather than investing in training so the team can deliver higher-quality care. The author emphasizes that rather than removing tools or tests, leadership should provide targeted training, continuing education, and process support so clinicians and staff feel competent. Clinical implications: By empowering staff and clinicians with the right training, Urgent Care organizations can safely expand their scope of practice, detect serious conditions earlier and reduce risk of diagnostic error or harm. Full Access: JUCM
FDA Approves New IV Antibiotic for Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
The FDA has approved Contepo (IV fosfomycin) for treating complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) caused by E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Its mechanism is novel (an epoxide antibiotic), with no known cross-resistance, and it’s the first IV epoxide antibiotic approved in the U.S. In a phase 2/3 ZEUS trial, IV fosfomycin was noninferior to piperacillin/tazobactam, showing clinical cure plus microbiologic eradication in 63.5% vs. 55.6% of patients, and was generally well tolerated. Clinical implications: This gives clinicians a new, safe IV option for hospitalized cUTI patients, especially valuable when resistance limits use of standard therapies. Because of its novel mechanism and lack of cross-resistance, Contepo could be a strategic drug in antimicrobial stewardship to help preserve existing antibiotics. Full Access: CIDRAP
D-Dimer Thresholds for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism Based on A Single Question: Is it the Most Likely Diagnosis? A Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Label, Single-Arm Interventional Study
In a multicenter study of patients evaluated for suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), the authors found that raising the conventional D-dimer threshold cut-off (to about 1000 ng/mL) in low-risk patients was safe and resulted in fewer imaging tests without missing significant PEs. They demonstrated that this adjusted threshold could reliably exclude PE in selected patients, thereby reducing unnecessary exposure to radiation from CT pulmonary angiography. Clinical Implications: This means Urgent Care clinicians could adopt higher D-dimer thresholds (in combination with a validated clinical scoring system) to safely reduce the number of CTPAs performed. Implementation of such a strategy could improve resource utilization, reduce costs, and lower the risks associated with over-testing in patients with a low pre-test probability of PE. Full Access: The Lancet
Patient Perception of Physician Attire: A Systematic Review Update
This systematic review of 28 studies (2015–2025) found that patient preferences for physician attire vary by setting, specialty and physician gender. Scrubs were preferred in high-acuity areas, while outpatient settings showed mixed preferences, with no single attire type consistently favored. Overall, clothing influenced perceived professionalism and trust. Clinical implications: Urgent Care clinicians may benefit from a flexible attire policy that prioritizes clarity of role, setting-appropriate clothing (often scrubs) to support better patient trust and communication. Full Access: BMJ