FujiFilm is having a contest to win a free digital x-ray system to launch their new product. Visit http://www.primadreama.com/ to learn more.

Abuse of Prescriptions Meds Now Sending as Many People to the ER as Illicit Drugs

A recent report by the CDC has found that for the first time, visits to the Emergency Room for misuse and abuse of prescription drugs is equal to visits for the use of illicit drugs. The figures which are supplied by the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) show that in 2004 an estimated 1.6 million visits were made to the ER for drug related issues. One million of those visits were related to illicit drugs. In 2008 the ED received 2.0 million visits. Of those 2.0 million visits half were related to illicit drugs and the remaining 1.0 million where related to prescription drugs. That means prescriptions drugs have become just as damaging as illicit drugs. The vast majority of the ED cases involved opioids or benzodiazepines based medicines. (CDC report can be located here http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5923a1.htm?s_cid=mm5923a1_w) If numbers are increasing at such substantial levels in emergency rooms across the country I believe it is safe to assume we are seeing the same increases in our Urgent Care Facilities.

Most doctor’s are trained to recognize signs of drug abuse. However, the average person doesn’t always know what to look for. According to the http://www.helpguilde.org/ the following signs can often be observed in addicts:

Physical warning signs of drug abuse

• Bloodshot eyes or pupils that are larger or smaller than usual.
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns.
• Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
• Deterioration of physical appearance and personal grooming habits.
• Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing.
• Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination.

Behavioral signs of drug abuse

• Drop in attendance and performance at work or school.
• Unexplained need for money or financial problems. May borrow or steal to get it.
• Engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors.
• Sudden change in friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies.
• Frequently getting into trouble (fights, accidents, illegal activities).

Psychological warning signs of drug abuse

• Unexplained change in personality or attitude.
• Sudden mood swings, irritability, or angry outbursts.
• Periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness.
• Lack of motivation; appears lethargic or “spaced out.”
• Appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason.
  http://helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm

If you begin to notice any of these symptoms in those close to you seek immediate help for your friends or family. Personally, I’d rather avoid a trip to the emergency room or urgent care center and get immediate treatment before things spiral out of control.

DOH! Don't forget to include screening for the H1N1 Swine Flu in your marketing!

Has your urgent care center adapted your range of services to provide for the needs of the community in screening for the H1N1 Swine Flu virus? As I know most of you have, the next most obvious question from a marketing perspective is, have you included this in your marketing? If not, don't feel too bad, we recently realized even after all the hype, we still hadn't optimized our website to include screening for the virus as a common treatment for urgent care centers nationwide. However, as of this week, you can now find the "H1N1 Swine Flu Screening" right on our front page as a common service offered by you guys! Why did we feel the need to post this? Because patients in your area are Google-ing where to find a clinic that offers this service and if it is not posted on FindUrgentCare.com, we are missing out on a whole population of patients searching for This service. Correspondingly, if you do not have these keywords on your primary website or your FindUrgentCare.com hosted webpage, search engines will list your clinic in search results for urgent care centers that offer this service.

Not only is it important that you update your website, but start to include screening for the virus in all of your marketing. You want to be the first place people think of when they have the urgent need for this type of testing and/or treatment.

Also FYI, as a resource to you, the Urgent Care Association of America has adapted their website with updates about screening for and treating the H1N1 Swine Flu virus in your walk-in center are now available. This includes an announcement about how to obtain the Tamiflu vaccine free from the govt. for vaccinating in your clinic. Click here for more details from the UCAOA.

FindUrgentCare discounts monthly membership for UCAOA members!

The UCAOA put together a member benefit program, similar to our FindUrgentCare Partners Network, where members receive discounts from select vendors who offer products and services to the urgent care community. FindUrgentCare is among many others, and is offering exclusive discounts to UCAOA Members. Not only are UCAOA Members elligible to receive a 30 Day Free Trial on www.findurgentcare.com, but they are also elligible to receive an additional 10% off monthly membership. Click here to view the complete list of vendors featured in the UCAOA Member benefits.

FindUrgentCare is on Facebook!!

Yes we gave in =) And we are encouraging all of our members and urgent care centers nationwide to join too! You might be thinking, "I don't want to get sucked into the vacuum of this social media trend" but there is a reason everyone is doing it right now! 1) it is free, 2) It is fun!, 3) AND, it is a great way to get your name out and blast updates to your community! 4) Not to mention it is great to have your website linked as many places as possible- for search engine optimization purposes- especially high traffic, relevent sites like Facebook!

I had a ton of friends who were creating pages for their business and I honestly did not know what they were involved in before they created these pages! Some of them really good friends too. So even if you have to guilt your friends to link to your site- I highly recommend it!

Jump on the bandwagon! And request FindUrgentCare as a friend when you do =)

www.FindUrgentCare.com on Facebook

Tailor Marketing to a tightening Economy! Urgent tips for hurting Walk-in Facilites.

Up the Ante on your Stimulus Marketing!

"$55 Doctor Visits Offered to the Unemployed!","Health Stimulus Plan", just a couple million dollar catchphrases found in a recent Reliant Immediate Care press release. The LA-based urgent care facility has keenly observed that a great location can't be the only engine driving their marketing. Although they are located within minutes of the LAX airport, Dr. Lebow, Medical Director of Reliant Immediate Care knows the value of "upping the ante" on the marketing, especially during hard financial times for patients. They are utilizing FindUrgentcare to post special promotions in addition to the online press release to distinguish themselves as the walk-in facility for all types of patients and with varying financial circumstances. This is a prime example of creativity and great timing, as well as an exceptional demonstration of compassion and care for the community.

If your facility is offering specials to cash-paying or unemployed patients, tell them so! Get the word out in all of your marketing and update it on your FindUrgentCare webpage. You may very well be allowing the breadwinner of the family to return to the workforce, or treating a patient who otherwise would have neglected much needed care due to cost. Not only is it great marketing to spread the word, but it's a service to the community!

Great job Reliant Immediate Care, we hope you don't mind if a few clinics follow your lead =)

How many Urgent Care centers are there? Count with me!

I get asked this question all the time. The great thing is, now I don't have to feel silly when I say "I don't know!". The Urgent Care Association of America and The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine put together a survey, conducted extensive research on the topic- consulting every database in existence, and came up with the answer..."we don't know!" That is not to say there were no findings...read on.

The problem exists in the definition of Urgent Care- whether to include retail clinics (those located inside a retail store), hospital based-urgent care centers (sometimes labeled "urgent care" but in reality simply a fast-track located within the ED), Primary Care Centers that allow walk-ins but do not have extended hours. Centers like these that fall outside of the definition of urgent care were not indluded, but others that fell more in the gray area were what made it so difficult to count. There are centers that should legitimately be qualified as urgent care centers but are nowhere on the web or any registry. Simply put, the number was difficult to find, and admittedly incomplete, but the number of identifiable urgent care centers was found to be....drum roll please...roughly 8,000 urgent care centers nationwide- much less than the initial estimate of 12,000. The moral of the story? Promote your practice and you will be paving the way for research and education for the entire industry! For more info on the issue, check out the January 2009 issue of JUCM.