Ambulatory Care Use and Physician Visits

(Data are for the U.S.)

 

• Percent of adults who had contact with a health care professional in the past year: 82.6%

Source: Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2011, table 37 [PDF - 1.3 MB]

• Percent of children who had contact with a health care professional in the past year: 92.6%

Source:  Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2011, table 14 [PDF - 711 KB]

• Number of visits (to physician offices, hospital outpatient and emergency departments): 1.2 billion

Source: Selected patient and provider characteristics for ambulatory care visits to physician offices and hospital outpatient and emergency departments: United States, 2009-2010 [PDF - 127 KB]

• Number of visits (to physician offices, hospital outpatient and emergency departments) per 100 persons: 408.2

Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Summary Tables, table 1 [PDF - 382 KB]
National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Outpatient Department Summary Tables, table 1 [PDF - 330 KB]
National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Emergency Department Summary Tables, table 1 [PDF - 481 KB]
(data shown are based on summing estimates across these 3 tables)

 

Physician office visits

• Number of visits: 1.0 billion
• Number of visits per 100 persons: 332.2
• Percent of visits made to primary care physicians: 55.5%
• Most frequent principal illness-related reason for visit: cough
• Most commonly diagnosed condition: essential hypertension

Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Summary Tables, tables 1, 9, 13 [PDF - 382 KB]

 

More data

• Community Health Centers: Providers, Patients, and Content of Care [PDF - 550 KB]
• Generalist and Specialty Physicians: Supply and Access, 2009–2010
• Health care visits within the past 12 months, according to selected characteristics Health, United States, 2012, table 77 [PDF - 9.8 MB]
• National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Outpatient Department Summary Tables [PDF - 375 KB]
• Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Physician Assistants in Physician Offices [PDF - 725 KB]
• Percent of children without a health care visit within the past 12 months according to selected characteristics Health, United States, 2012, table 76 [PDF - 9.8 MB]
• Physician Assistant and Advance Practice Nurse Care in Hospital Outpatient Departments: United States, 2008-2009.
• Population Aging and the Use of Office-based Physician Services [PDF - 695 KB]
• Role of International Medical Graduates Providing Office-based Medical Care: United States, 2005-2006 [PDF - 542 KB]
• Visits to physician offices and hospital outpatient and emergency departments by selected characteristics Health, United States, 2012, table 88 [PDF - 9.8 MB]
• Visits to Primary Care Delivery Sites: United States, 2008 [PDF - 676 KB]
• Visits to primary care generalist and specialist physicians, by selected characteristics and type of physician Health, United States, 2012, table 89 [PDF - 9.8 MB]