Having a usual source of medical care is associated with a number of favorable health behaviors and outcomes, including receiving recommended screening and prevention services. Due to limited transportation options, rural residential status, being uninsured, or other socioeconomic factors, millions of people in the United States do not have a usual source of medical care. Monitoring data on usual source of medical care is therefore a key step in determining which regions and population groups disproportionately lack access to the regular care they need.
State Health Compare provides annual, state-level estimates of individuals who have a usual place of medical care other than the emergency department during the past twelve months. Estimates can be broken down by age group and health insurance coverage type. This measure is based on SHADAC’s analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
