Urgent Care Facilities: Geographic Variation in Utilization and Charges for Common Lab Tests, Office Visits, and Flu Vaccines.
The rapid growth of urgent care facilities (UCFs) and other types of convenient care centers has largely been attributed to increasing consumer demand for more convenient and affordable healthcare. UCFs typically treat non-emergency, acute conditions and are increasingly serving as an alternative to "traditional" care settings, such as physician offices and emergency departments (EDs). A study was conducted to characterize geographic variation in both utilization and charges for common lab tests, office visits, and flu vaccines by care settings. Based on claims data from FAIR Health's National Private Insurance Claims (FHNPIC) database, the results suggest that utilization and charge patterns for common procedures vary significantly by care setting across geographic region and over time but the variations are generally small in magnitude. For example, across geographic regions, charges for the flu vaccine are found to be higher when performed in a physician's office in contrast to being performed in a UCF.
Jeff
J
Dang
Eric
E
Okurowski
Robin
R
Gelburd
Lorraine
L
Limpahan
Nicole
N
Iny
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000191:economics*; D005249:Fees and Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D009819:Office Visits / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States
D007252:Influenza Vaccines