title: Cost savings associated with the use of community health centers.
abstract: This study assesses the potential cost savings associated with the use of community health centers, based on econometric analyses of the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. After controlling for health status, health insurance coverage, income, age, and other factors, this study finds that patients who receive a majority of their ambulatory care at community health centers have significantly lower annual overall medical expenditures (24%) and ambulatory expenditures (25%) than those who do not. These results are consistent with other studies indicating that, by providing good quality primary care, community health centers can reduce the utilization of other medical services.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Leighton
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dor
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017059:Models, Econometric