Treating children at Urgent Care Centers: a qualitative study to determine how providers perceive managing pediatric patients.

As Urgent Care Centers (UCCs) multiply, more children receive care in this setting. Little is known about UCC providers' perspectives on the management of common pediatric conditions. The objectives of this study are to describe the perceptions of UCC providers and identify challenges they face regarding common pediatric conditions. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 12 UCC providers from 9 non-academic UCCs in Rhode Island. Content analysis identified themes that describe perceptions of UCC providers regarding pediatric patients. Interviews identified three common pediatric scenarios that challenged UCC providers: acutely ill young infants, minor traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and uncooperative children requiring minor procedures. UCCs should focus quality initiatives to educate their providers on evidence-based management of common pediatric clinical scenarios. Efforts may include dissemination of validated guidelines, education targeted to non-pediatric trained providers, and the integration of minimal sedation protocols for minor procedures.