While the number of office visits decreased 4.7 percent in 2011, the number of emergency department admissions increased by 7.4 percent, according to a report by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
The report, "The Use of Medicines in the United States: Review of 2011," highlights several findings on health utilization in the United States last year.
Other data points include the following:
• Retail prescription usage decreased an average of 1.1 percent.
• People 65 years old and over had a 3.1 percent drop in prescription drug use.
• People 19 to 25 years old increased their use of medicines by 2 percent.
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The report, "The Use of Medicines in the United States: Review of 2011," highlights several findings on health utilization in the United States last year.
Other data points include the following:
• Retail prescription usage decreased an average of 1.1 percent.
• People 65 years old and over had a 3.1 percent drop in prescription drug use.
• People 19 to 25 years old increased their use of medicines by 2 percent.
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Specialty Boards Recommend Less Frequent Use of 45 Common Tests, ProceduresStudy Shows Significant Variation in Costs, Quality and Access Across Communities
Study: Recent Changes in Insurance Status Associated With Higher ED Use