Table. Selected Characteristics of US Commercial Health Care Plan Members Younger Than 65 Years Who Sought Treatment for Low-Acuity Conditions, 2015.
| Characteristic | Emergency Department Visits (n = 877 618) | Urgent Care Center Visits (n = 1 580 998) | Retail Clinic Visits (n = 339 040) | Telemedicine Visits (n = 90 849) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 31.0 (18.6) | 31.2 (17.3) | 32.3 (16.1) | 36.5 (15.0) |
| Female sex, % | 54.4 | 58.8 | 64.6 | 68.6 |
| Diagnostic cost group score, %a | ||||
| <0.5 | 25.3 | 43.1 | 47.3 | 42.6 |
| 0.5-0.99 | 20.6 | 22.2 | 21.6 | 21.5 |
| 1-3 | 28.0 | 23.4 | 21.9 | 24.9 |
| >3 | 26.1 | 11.3 | 9.1 | 11.0 |
| Median household income quartile, %b | ||||
| 1 | 30.8 | 20.0 | 12.2 | 7.1 |
| 2 | 25.9 | 26.8 | 20.5 | 28.6 |
| 3 | 22.7 | 28.3 | 30.2 | 21.4 |
| 4 | 20.6 | 24.9 | 37.1 | 42.9 |
| RUCA, % | ||||
| Urban | 81.6 | 87.1 | 91.3 | 76.9 |
| Suburban | 8.2 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 11.4 |
| Large rural | 6.1 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 7.1 |
| Small town/rural | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 4.6 |
Abbreviation: RUCA, rural-urban commuting area.
a
Higher diagnostic cost group score indicates higher health risk and higher predicted spending.
b
Quartiles derived from median household income for all enrolled members on the basis of zip code from US census data, from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest).