CurieDx

The good news is antibiotic (over)prescribing is lower! The bad news is its still 2-4x what it should be for sore throat. An interesting study published by Epic Research recently showed antibiotic prescribing is down since the pandemic (45% -> 43%). Hooray for antibiotic stewardship, and efforts to lower antibiotic resistance. (see ‘Acute Pharyngitis’ in the image) But… if you look at prevalence of group a streptococcus (the most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis), in kids only ~ 25% are positive, and in adults only 10-15% are positive. So why do 36-45% of all sore throat/pharyngitis patients get antibiotics? There’s the obvious reasons: clinical judgement overrides; we don’t want to risk missing something; and we are competing for patient satisfaction and perceive that patients want/expect antibiotics. I think patients are getting wiser now- some care about gut microbiome (more than antibiotic resistance maybe). I think patients actually want an answer, not just a prescription. This takes longer to explain, but worthwhile to practice good medicine. What do you think? #HealthTech #Pediatrics #DigitalHealth #curiedx #telehealth #PointOfCare #ClinicalDecisionSupport #Pediatrics #curiedx https://lnkd.in/eaXeuUSQ

Has your patient ever bought you a latte? It happened to me, once in 15 years. Many of us are tired of quick, 10-15 minute visits (or less!) where we can’t spend the time that is really needed with patients. Sometimes the clinical case needs it… and sometimes WE need it. Last year I felt a shift in the ER where I wanted to spend more time with my patients. One family- I took all the time they needed to feel reassured that their child did not have cancer. Hugging that patient’s mom was one of my best moments. They were discharged, but surprisingly came back… and very generously gifted me a latte! I had so much gratitude. I’ve spent a lot of time with DPC owners and I’m hearing the same thing. The joy caring for patients, taking the time that’s needed to feel connection and practice great medicine. My goal with what we’re doing at CurieDx is to simplify the clinical decision making part of the visit… so we can practice medicine the way we all wrote about in our medical school essays. #DirectPrimaryCare #ConciergeMedicine #PediatricPractice #PointOfCare #DPC #curiedx

We're #hiring a new Clinical Research Coordinator in Baltimore, Maryland. Apply today or share this post with your network.

The team at CurieDx is growing! Do you know a rockstar pre-med in Baltimore, MD who is passionate about research, innovation, startups, and AI? Well, share this post with them today! This is an amazing opportunity to help build the future of evidence-based healthcare, work alongside tech and clinical leaders + contribute to improving access for thousands of patients. 🚀

Most pediatric offices in the United States still close at 5pm. Fevers do not close at 5pm. Ear infections do not. And worried parents at 9pm on a Tuesday definitely do not. The families who feel this most are working parents. Single parents. Parents who cannot take a half day every time their child gets sick. Families where English is not the first language and navigating an ER alone feels overwhelming. When I look at the Northern Virginia and DMV community we serve, that is a lot of families. Families who deserve better options. The solution does not have to be complicated. Extended hours. Walk-in access. A care team that already knows your child. Care that shows up when life actually happens. That is what we set out to build at Kids Watch Pediatrics & Urgent Care and Night Watch Pediatric and Adult Urgent Care. And the families who have walked through our doors since day one are the reason we keep going. We are open seven days a week, evenings included, across Northern Virginia. Because every family deserves a place to turn to, no matter what time the clock says. That is the vision. And we are grateful to be a small part of making it real. 💛 To my fellow healthcare professionals and founders: what gaps in your community kept you up at night until you decided to do something about it? I would love to hear your story in the comments. #pediatrics #healthcare #urgentcare #pediatriccare #childrenshealth

Thank you for having us, PORTENT Center!

Thank you, Therese Canares, MD, MBA! CurieDx is a finalist at TechConnect's Health Security Innovation Prize Challenge! 🚀

Hey there, my clinician friend! When are you restocking your rapid strep swabs next? 👀 But most importantly… why are you restocking for rapid strep swabs in 2026 when you can scan your patients with a smartphone app instead? 😳😱

Find us at Urgent Care Association’s Amplify 2026 Conference in Chicago, IL April 11th - 15th and ask Kaiser or Therese for a free scan with the phone app!

"You need to come in for a swab." I mean… not literally you, but imagine from your patient’s perspective when they hear they need a lab test on a virtual visit. They’re asking ‘what’s the point of telehealth if you have to send me in?’ The root issue is that when you’re sitting across a screen from a patient with a sore throat and you have no objective data or tests to work with… all you have are what the patient says, and what the camera shows. And patients no longer trust clinical judgement alone. So the responsible alternatives are: sending the patient in. Or we (over?) prescribe to be safe. Either way, clinical decisions are made with incomplete information on virtual, and we know it’s not ideal but we think it’s be best we’ve got. People think today’s telehealth is good enough… I think the technology has finally caught up and now, we can go above and beyond.