Livonia Urgent Care Center Cleared by Accrediting Body

Online, December 7, 2009 (Newswire.com) - The Accredition Committee of the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine has reviewed the case of Livonia Urgent Care and determined that errors in administration of H1N1 nasal spray vaccines were caused by ambiguous instructions provided to the clinic. As a result, the affected center has contacted patients to reschedule vaccinations and the specialty society representing Urgent Care Medicine has provided supplemental advice to its members.

Local media reported in November that Livonia Urgent Care provided doses of approximately one-half strength while administering the nasal spray vaccine to children. Parents knew that immunization was achieved after two separate doses, but were concerned that their children had received the spray in only one nostril.

An immediate review by the Urgent Care Accreditation Program found that the center relied on ambiguous directions from both the manufacturer and their county health department, resulting not in two full doses being given over time but in the amount of a single dose being split to meet the manufacturer's recommended schedule.

The center's medical director, Mohammed A. Arsiwala, MD, recognized the issue and has informed patients that the center immunized. They will be returning to Livonia Urgent Care for the full first dose. The center will remain accredited pending successful resolution of dosage for the patients involved.

Franz Ritucci, MD, President of the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine, noted that several centers reported confusion with the two-dose regimen. The AAUCM will be informing members of the clarification.

Accreditation is a voluntary process through which an Urgent Care Center is able to measure the quality of its services and performance against nationally recognized standards. The AAUCM Urgent Care Center Accreditation (UCCA) Program recognizes outstanding facilities which demonstrate the highest level of commitment to patient care and the practice of Urgent Care Medicine. This Accreditation serves as a benchmark of quality, not only to those involved in the healthcare industry, but to the general public as well. The UCCA Program accomplishes the accreditation of Urgent Care centers by setting standards, measuring performance, and providing consultation and education where needed. Accreditation is ultimately awarded to those urgent care centers that are found to be in compliance with the AAUCM standards. Urgent care organizations value accreditation as a measure of professional achievement and quality of care. This mirrors the missions and goals of the AAUCM.