Study finds widespread overprescribing of antibiotics, opioids, and steroids in clinics.
A new review of urgent care records has raised concerns about how certain medications are being handed out for conditions that often don’t need them. Researchers looked at more than 22 million visits to urgent care clinics across the country from 2018 to 2022. The findings show that many of these visits ended with prescriptions for antibiotics, steroids, or opioids—sometimes when they weren’t needed at all.
Antibiotics were often prescribed for conditions where they don’t work, like certain ear infections, mild bladder symptoms, and common chest colds. In some cases, nearly half of the prescriptions didn’t match up with any clear reason to use them. These drugs are meant to fight bacterial infections, but they’re often given out for viruses, where they don’t help. Over time, this can make bacteria harder to treat and increase the chances of stronger, drug-resistant strains spreading in the community.
Steroids were also given out more often than needed, especially for coughs, sinus pressure, and chest congestion. While steroids can reduce inflammation, they’re not always the best solution for simple infections or cold symptoms. Some people may get side effects like mood swings, trouble sleeping, or higher blood sugar after taking them. In these visits, the drugs were used when rest and basic care might have worked just as well.
As for opioids, the numbers were lower, but still troubling. Pain pills were handed out for minor injuries, stomach discomfort, and general muscle pain in situations that usually don’t call for them. The country’s opioid crisis has shown what can happen when these drugs are given out too freely. Many people become dependent, and some move on to even stronger substances. Experts warn that even a short prescription can start a chain reaction that leads to long-term problems.
The study also looked at visits related to COVID-19. Antibiotics were used less often during those visits, which makes sense because the illness is caused by a virus. But steroid use jumped during that time, as providers tried to ease symptoms. This points to the way treatment habits can shift during a health emergency—sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
One doctor not involved in the study said that even though opioid prescribing has gone down since its peak in the early 2010s, urgent care centers still lag behind in safer prescribing. He stressed that many health workers might not fully understand how these drugs can affect patients. A better grasp of the risks could lead to more careful choices.
The research was based on insurance claims from a large national database. It included both adults and children, with more than half of the visits made by women. Most people were in their 30s. About one in eight visits led to an antibiotic, while fewer received steroids or opioids. Because all the patients had insurance, it’s possible the results don’t reflect what happens for people with different or no coverage.
One limitation is that the study relied on billing records, which don’t always show the full picture. There was no way to see how sick someone really was or how the doctor explained the treatment. Still, the patterns suggest that urgent care clinics may need more tools to help with smart prescribing—tools like better training, alerts in their systems, and clearer rules about when these drugs should or shouldn’t be used.
The people behind the study said this is a sign that urgent care centers should work harder to make sure they’re giving the right drugs at the right time. More programs focused on smart prescribing could help reduce the number of people who get medications they don’t need—and avoid the problems those drugs can cause later.
Sources:
Study Cites Urgent Care Clinics for Inappropriate Prescribing
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