In 2009, there were an estimated 96 

million visits to outpatient departments 

(OPDs) of nonfederal short-stay and 

general hospitals in the United States. 

The annual visit rate was 31.9 OPD visits 

per 100 persons. About one-third of the 

visits were made by persons under 25 

years of age. 

 

Percent distribution of OPD visits by 

patient age: 2009 

30 30

s

25 23

sit

20

f vi

20

cent o

15

16

Per

10

11

5

0

Under 15 15–24 25–44 45–64 65 and over

Age in years

Factsheet

OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT

National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

The visit rate was higher for females 

compared with males and for Black or 

African American persons compared 

with White persons. 

Annual rate of OPD visits by patient sex

and race: 2009

70

er 100

ear

60

50

58

s p

 y

38

 visit

40

29

Number of

persons per

30

20

26

10

0

Female Male White Black or

African 

American

Common reasons for visit:

 Progress visit (9.1 million) 

 

 General medical examination (5.8 million) 

 Cough (2.6 million)

 Counseling (2.6 million) 

 Prenatal examination (2.4 million) 

 Medication (2.3 million) 

 Throat symptoms (1.8 million)

 Back symptoms (1.6 million) 

 Postoperative visit (1.6 million) 

 Diabetes mellitus (1.6 million)

Common diagnoses: 

 Malignant neoplasms (4.6 million)

 Hypertension (4.2 million)

 Spinal disorders (3.4 million)

 Arthropathies (3.1 million)

 Routine infant or child health check (3.1 million)

 Diabetes mellitus (3.0 million)

 Acute upper respiratory infection, 

 excluding pharyngitis (2.9 million)

 Normal pregnancy (2.0 million)

 Psychoses, excluding major 

 depressive disorder (1.7 million)

 Rheumatism, excluding back (1.7 million)

 

Percent of OPD visits with selected chronic

conditions: 2009

25

25

sits

20

cent of vi Per

15

10

5

13 13

11 10

8 8

0

Hypertension

Diabetes

Hyperlipidemia

Depression

Arthritis

Asthma

Obesity

Expected sources of payment:

 Private insurance (43%)

 Medicaid or Children's Health 

 Insurance Program (29%) 

 Medicare (19%) 

 No insurance (11%) 

 Other (4%) 

 Unknown (4%) 

NOTE: More than one source may be reported per visit.
Medications were provided or prescribed 

at 75 percent of OPD visits for a total of 

255 million drugs. 

Common drug categories: 

 Analgesics (32.5 million)

 Antidepressants (11.7 million)

 Antidiabetic agents (11.0 million)

 Antihyperlipidemic agents (10.6 million)

 Anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics (9.1 million)

 Bronchodilators (8.6 million)

 Anticonvulsants (8.5 million)

 Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (7.9 million)

 Dermatological agents (7.6 million)

 Diuretics (7.4 million)

IMPORTANCE OF NHAMCS OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT DATA 

 

NHAMCS OPD data are widely used in research studies published in nationally recognized 

health and medical journals, including Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Clinical 

Infectious Diseases. Here are a few examples of recent publications. 

 

Wai-Lin Lee J, Berkowitz Z, Saraiya M. Low-risk human papillomavirus testing and other 

nonrecommended human papillomavirus testing practices among U.S. health care providers. 

Obstet Gynecol. 2011 July; 118(1):4–13.

Copp HL, Shapiro DJ, Hersh AL. National ambulatory antibiotic prescribing patterns for 

pediatric urinary tract infection, 1998–2007. Pediatrics. 2011 June; 127(6):1027–1033.

Young B, Dao CN, Buchacz K, et al. Increased rates of bone fracture among HIV-infected 

persons in the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) compared with the U.S. general population, 

2000–2006. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Apr 15; 52(8):1061–8.

Burris HH, Werler MM. U.S. provider reported folic acid or multivitamin ordering for 

non-pregnant women of childbearing age: NAMCS and NHAMCS, 2005–2006. Journal of 

Maternal and Child Health. 2011 Apr; 15(3):352–9.

Patel AI, Madsen KA, Maselli JH, Cabana MD, Stafford RS, Hersh AL. Underdiagnosis of 

pediatric obesity during outpatient preventive care visits. Acad Pediatr. 2010 

November–December; 10(6):405–409.

Zallman L, Ma J, Xiao L, et al. Quality of U.S. primary care delivered by residents and staff 

physicians. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2010 Nov; 25(11):1193–7.

Saraiya M, McCaig LF, Ekwueme DU. Ambulatory care visits for PAP tests, abnormal PAP tests, 

and cervical cancer procedures in the United States. American Journal of Managed Care. Jun 1, 2010; 16(6):e137–44. 

Sacks JJ, Luo YH, Helmick CG. Prevalence of specific types of arthritis and other rheumatic 

conditions in the ambulatory health care system in the United States, 2001–2005. Arthritis Care 

Res. 2010 Apr; 62(4):460–4. 

Cheung R, Mannalithara A, Singh G. Utilization and antiviral treatment in patients with chronic 

hepatitis C: analysis of ambulatory care visits in the U.S. Digestive Diseases and Sciences 

Journal. 2010 Mar; 51(2):149–56. 

Branum AM, Lukacs SL. Food allergy among children in the United States. Pediatrics. 2009 Dec; 124(6):1549–55.

NHAMCS(FS)-2 (8-11)

For more information, contact the 

Ambulatory and Hospital Care Statistics 

 Branch at 301-458-4600 or visit our 

Web site at <www.cdc.gov/nhamcs>.