Urgent Care Inappropriate Antibiotic, Steroid, Opioid Prescriptions Across US

A comprehensive study analyzing over 22 million urgent care visits from 2018 to 2022 found widespread inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics, glucocorticoids, and opioids. Antibiotics were commonly prescribed for conditions where they are not indicated, such as otitis media (about 31%), genitourinary symptoms (46%), and acute bronchitis (15%). Glucocorticoids were frequently given for sinusitis (24%), acute bronchitis (41%), and upper respiratory infections (12%), despite being generally inappropriate. Opioids were prescribed for non-back musculoskeletal pain (5%), abdominal pain (6%), and sprains or strains (4%). The study indicates that urgent care centers have higher rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing compared to office or emergency visits, influenced by clinician knowledge gaps, patient demands, and lack of decision support. Researchers emphasize the need for antibiotic, glucocorticoid, and opioid stewardship programs to reduce these preventable harms in urgent care settings.