Characteristics of Office-based Physician Visits, 2016

A new NCHS report examines visit rates by age and sex. It also examines visit characteristics—including insurance status, reason for visit, and services—by age. Estimates use data from the 2016 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Key Findings:

• In 2016, there were an estimated 278 office-based physician visits per 100 persons.
• The visit rate among females exceeded the rate for males, and the rates for both infants and older adults exceeded the rates for those aged 1–64 years.
• Private insurance was the primary expected source of payment for the majority of visits by children under age 18 and adults aged 18–64, whereas Medicare was the primary expected source of payment for the majority of visits by adults aged 65 and over.
• Compared with adults, a larger percentage of visits by children were for either preventive care or a new problem.
• Compared with children, a larger percentage of visits by adults included an imaging service that was ordered or provided.