Urgent Care

[NYSLicense]

Could an FM doc open his/her own urgent care center? I have only heard of EM docs and PA's doing this.

Thanks

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[deleted6669]

Could an FM doc open his/her own urgent care center? I have only heard of EM docs and PA's doing this.

Thanks

many urgent care ctrs are owned an managed by fp docs. it is a natural use of the fp training as most pts really have primary care type complaints. fp docs who work in urgent care can make more than stand alone primary care type work.

 

[deleted87716]

Could an FM doc open his/her own urgent care center? I have only heard of EM docs and PA's doing this.

Many family physicians incorporate urgent care into their practices, and some focus on it exclusively. Most urgent care visits are for the same problems you see in primary care, anyway...it's just done on a walk-in basis.

As for the "making money" aspect of it, the potential extra money in urgent care comes from doing more procedures (splinting, laceration repair, etc.), ancillary services (on-site x-rays and non-CLIA-waived laboratory tests), and higher patient volume (a combination of short visits and extended/weekend hours). In general, it tends to be more chaotic than a straight primary care practice because of the walk-in factor, with longer hours (typically), more "deadbeat" and drug-seeking patients, more occupational medicine/worker's comp. (with all of the associated hassles and paperwork), and greater malpractice exposure.

 

[NYSLicense]

SOUNDS great!
I get the feeling that straight office FM would get quite boring.
How long is sports medicine fellowship?

Also, are there any sites dedicated to urgent care centers?

Thank you

 

[Slitherin]

From what I understand at an ER you cant turn away patients, what about the Urgent care. Could you send someone away who couldn't pay?

 

[deleted87716]

From what I understand at an ER you cant turn away patients, what about the Urgent care. Could you send someone away who couldn't pay?

EMTALA, which is what the ER has to follow, doesn't apply to primary care or urgent care offices. Still, you have to be careful. In the case of patients with no insurance or insurance that you don't participate with, you should have a policy in place to handle cash-paying patients, usually 100% of charges paid on the day of service. If they are unable or unwilling to pay, they may be asked to seek care elsewhere. This is best done over the phone prior to them making an appointment or appearing in your office. If somebody walks in, it's always harder to turn them away, especially if they have an urgent/emergent condition (chest pain, difficulty breathing, a laceration, fracture, etc.) that could deteriorate before they're able to find another source of care. You may choose to provide care on the day of service for their urgent condition, but if the patient is unable/unwilling to pay within a certain timeframe, you can formally dismiss them from the practice (there's a right way to do this so you aren't guilty of abandoning the patient, but it's beyond the scope of the OP's question).

Bottom line, do the right thing for the patient, and cover your own a$$ at all times.

 

[deleted87716]

I get the feeling that straight office FM would get quite boring.

Actually, I've always found urgent care to be much less intellectually stimulating.

Note: I didn't actually edit your original post...I mistakingly hit the "Edit" button instead of the "Reply" button...sorry!

 

[lateness]

Actually, I've always found urgent care to be much less intellectually stimulating.

Note: I didn't actually edit your original post...I mistakingly hit the "Edit" button instead of the "Reply" button...sorry!

i agree. actually i initially was excited about urgent care, then after i spent a month there i realized there really wasnt as interesting nor as intellectually challenging at all. I think people are deceived by it, or at least I was.

 

[docrjay]

I read in the fellowship website that they only take in FP and Med/Peds. What about residency graduates of Occupational Medicine, I know they do alot of urgent care too.

 

[deleted87716]

I read in the fellowship website that they only take in FP and Med/Peds. What about residency graduates of Occupational Medicine, I know they do alot of urgent care too.

In my experience, it's usually the urgent care guys doing some occ. med, not the other way around.

 

[docrjay]

Hey Kent! I wrote the fellowship director and they are trying to work out other specialties including occupational medicine into the program. He said they will make announcement in the future. Hope they would accept Occupational medicine graduates in the future too!

 

[deleted87716]

Hey Kent! I wrote the fellowship director and they are trying to work out other specialties including occupational medicine into the program. He said they will make announcement in the future. Hope they would accept Occupational medicine graduates in the future too!

 

[erichaj]

Urgent care is kinda like a low level ER without the Major trauma cases.

If you get a possible MI or Acute CHF, you end up sending them to the ER. If you get a severe fracture you end up sending them to the ER.

It's not just coughs and colds, although there is lots of that, you also get lacerations, casting cases and other acute cases where the ER is not needed but like the name says, "urgent care" should be given.

Now they are opening quick care centers in the supermarkets. The NP is in there seeing patients. They only see coughs, colds and give immunizations. Anything under 15 minutes.