Ambulatory Health Care Data

The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) is designed to meet the need for objective, reliable information about the provision and use of ambulatory medical care services in the United States. Findings are based on a sample of visits to nonfederally employed office-based physicians who are primarily engaged in direct patient care and, starting in 2006, a separate sample of visits to community health centers.

The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect data on the utilization and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital emergency and outpatient departments and ambulatory surgery locations. Findings are based on a national sample of visits to the emergency departments,  outpatient departments, and ambulatory surgery locations of noninstitutional general and short-stay hospitals.

The National Electronic Health Records Survey (NEHRS) is designed to collect information on office-based physicians’ adoption and use of electronic health record (EHR) systems, practice information, patient engagement, controlled substances prescribing practices, use of health information exchange (HIE), and documentation and burden associated with medical record systems. Findings are based on a sample of nonfederally employed office-based physicians in the U.S. who are primarily engaged in direct patient care.

The National Health Care Surveys (including NAMCS, NHAMCS, and NHCS) are working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs: Promoting Interoperability (PI) (formerly known as Meaningful Use (MU)) and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Click here to find out more.