American patients reported fewer physician visits last year, a sign that many people are struggling to pay for healthcare, according to a study released Wednesday by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
The study found that visits to physicians fell by 4.7 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, while the number of prescriptions issued fell by 1.1 percent. Visits to the emergency room increased by 7.4 percent in 2011, a jump the study authors attributed to the loss of health insurance resulting from long-term unemployment.
The study found that older Americans in particular used fewer medications, with prescriptions for patients 65 and older dropping by 3.1 percent in 2011. The biggest drops were seen in prescriptions to treat high blood pressure and osteoporosis.
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The study found that visits to physicians fell by 4.7 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, while the number of prescriptions issued fell by 1.1 percent. Visits to the emergency room increased by 7.4 percent in 2011, a jump the study authors attributed to the loss of health insurance resulting from long-term unemployment.
The study found that older Americans in particular used fewer medications, with prescriptions for patients 65 and older dropping by 3.1 percent in 2011. The biggest drops were seen in prescriptions to treat high blood pressure and osteoporosis.
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