National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2005 outpatient department summary

This report describes ambulatory care visits to hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) in the United States. Statistics are presented on selected hospital, patient, and visit characteristics. Selected trends in OPD utilization from 1995 to 2005 are also presented.

The data presented in this report were collected in the 2005 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a national probability sample survey of visits to emergency and OPDs of nonfederal, short-stay, and general hospitals in the United States. Sample data are weighted to produce annual national estimates.

During 2005, an estimated 90.4 million visits were made to hospital OPDs in the United States, about 31.0 visits per 100 persons. Females (37.2 per 100 persons) had higher OPD visit rates than males (24.7 visits per 100 persons), and black or African-American persons (56.8 visits per 100 persons) had higher OPD visit rates than white persons (28.3 visits per 100 persons). Visit rates to OPD clinics for preventive care were highest for children under 1 year of age (43.1 per 100 persons). Almost one-half of OPD visits (46.1 percent) were made by patients with one or more chronic conditions. Hypertension was the most frequent chronic condition listed (19.7 percent). Visits with asthma declined with increasing age. From 1995 to 2005, the following visit characteristics changed: The visit rate for children under 15 years of age increased by 38%, the percentage of visits made by adults 18 years and over with depression indicated on the medical record increased by 48%; visits by adults with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension increased by 24%, 34%, and 43%, respectively; visits with counseling for tobacco use increased from 2.7 to 3.8 percent; visits with counseling for diet and nutrition increased from 9.4 to 15.7 percent; and visits with 6 or more medications prescribed or provided more than doubled, from 4.9 to 11.2 percent.