Physician
Visits Reach 824 Million in 2000
More
Cardiovascular-Renal, Hormone and Metabolic/Nutrient Drug Visits
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 5, 2002
Contact: NCHS Press Office
(301) 458-4800
CDC Office of Media Relations (404) 639-3286
E-mail: paoquery@cdc.gov
National Ambulatory
Medical Care Survey: 2000 Summary. Advance Data No. 328. 32 pp. (PHS)
2002-1250. View/download PDF 1.3 MB
A Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention survey on doctor visits shows that there were 823.5 million
office visits during 2000. The number of doctor visits has been increasing
over the past decade, due to population growth and a larger senior
population which visits the doctor at a higher rate. These population
changes also affect the types and volume of drugs provided during the
visits.
The survey documented a
21-percent increase over the past several years in the percent of office
visits where a cardiovascular-renal drug, such as ACE inhibitors, beta
blockers or anti-hypertensives, was ordered or prescribed for patients.
From 1997 to 2000, there was a 25 percent increase in the percent of
visits where a hormone was prescribed, while the increase in the percent
of metabolic/nutrient drug visits (vitamins, minerals, calcium) rose by 41
percent. These increases reflect the drug use patterns of the
health-conscious baby boomers, and a growing population of seniors whose
chronic conditions are treated by a variety of medications, many of which
are new to the market.
Overall there were 1.3
billion drugs ordered or prescribed during office visits in 2000. In
two-thirds of all visits the patient received one or more drugs. The most
frequently prescribed drug was Claritin, followed by Lipitor, Synthroid,
Premarin and Amoxicillin. Acetaminophen was the generic substance that was
most frequently used in drugs ordered or provided by the physician during
office visits in 2000.
This latest study on
ambulatory medical care in America profiles doctor visits in 2000 and
highlights changes that have occurred in physician office practices. CDC's
National Center for Health Statistics conducts this annual survey of
physician visits as part of its National Health Care Survey which also
covers hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and home health care.
"Most Americans
receive their health care in the doctor’s office," said Dr. David
Fleming, CDC Acting Director, "and therefore we can learn a great
deal about Americans’ health by studying the symptoms and diseases
presented, the drugs provided, the prevention services offered, and the
treatments received in the doctor’s office."
Other key findings in
the study:
In
2000, doctors spent an average of about 19 minutes with each patient, with
most visits ranging from 6 to 30 minutes and varying by physician
specialty.
Hypertension
is still the most frequent diagnosis in office visits, followed by acute
upper respiratory infections. Visits for diabetes have been on the rise
since 1997. Diabetes was the third most frequent diagnosis in 2000, up
from eighth in 1997.
General
medical examination was the most frequent reason for a visit to the doctor
in 2000.
Physicians
ordered or provided complementary and alternative medicine (such as herbal
therapy, massage and acupuncture) at 31 million visits in 2000.
There
was an increasing trend in the proportion of office visits where the
physician was the owner or part-owner of the practice (76 percent in 2000
compared to 66 percent in 1997). In contrast the proportion of visits to
offices owned by hospitals dropped from 7.6 percent in 1997 to less than 3
percent in 2000.
The National Ambulatory
Medical Care Survey is a national probability survey of visits to
office-based physicians. For more about the survey visit the CDC/NCHS
Web site.
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