on NAMCS data will be included in future Vital and Health Statistics series reports.
3National center for H&~Ith Statistics: ~ig~l th Revision ftl f.S/?SUtiO?YUf Classification of Diseases, Adapted fir Use in the United Stafes. PHS Pub. No. 1693. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967.
Table 1. Number and percent distribution of office visits by race and ethnicity of patient: United Statea, 1979
Number of Percent Race and ethnicity visitsin distribution
thousands of visits
All visits . . . .
Race
White . . . . Another . . . . . . . . Black . . . . Asian or Pacific Islander . . . . American Indian or Alaskan native . . . .
Ethnicity
Hispanic . . . . Not Hispanic . . . .
556,313
5’02927 53,387 46,788 5,560 1,038
26,731 528,563
100.0
90.4 9.6 8.4 1.0 0.2
4.8 95.2
Table 2. Number, percent distribution, and annual rate of office visits bysexand ageof patient: United States, 1979
Number of Percent Number of Sex and age visitsin distribution visitsper
thousands of visits person per year
Both sexes
Alleges . . . . Under 15years . . . . 15-24 years . . . . 2544years . . . . 45-64 years . . . . 65yearsand over . . . .
Alleges . . . . Under 15years . . . . 15-24 Yeats . . . . 25-44 years . . . . 45-64 years . . . . 65yearsand over. . . . .
Male
Alleges . . . . Under 15years . . . . 15-24 years . . . . 25-44 years . . . . 45-64 years . . . . 65 years and over. . . . .
556,313 101,352 82390 151,714 128,584 92363
337,086 48.735 52,345 102,000
76,003 58,012
219,218 52,617 29,945 49,714 52,591 34,351
100.0
2.618.2 2.0
14.8 2.1
27.3 2.6
23.1 3.0
16.6 4.0
60.6 3.0
8.8 2.0
9.4 2.6
18.3 3.4
13.7 3.4
10.4 4.2
39.4 2.1
9.5 2.1
5.4 1.5
8.9 1.8
9.5 2.5
6.2 3.6
4
Table 3. Number and percent distribution of office visits by physician specialty and type of practice: United States, 1979
Number of Percent Physician specialty and type of prac tice visits in distribu don
thousands of visits
All visits . . . . 556.313 100.0
Physician specia Ity
General and family practice . . . . 190,194 34.2 Medicel specialties . . . . 164,109 29.5 Internal medicine . . . . 66,908 12.0 Pediatrics . . . . 58,126 10.4 Other . . . . 39,075 7.0 Surgical specialties . . . . 173,457 31.2 General surgery . . . . 33,740 6.1 Obstetrics and gynecology. . . . . 50,823 9.1 Other . . . . 88,894 16.0 Other specialties . . . . 28,553 5.1 Psychiatry . . . . 17,093 3.1 Other . . . . 11,461 2.1
Type of practice
solo . . . . 315,390 56.7 Other! . . . . 240,924 43.3
?ln~lude~partnersh ip, group practice, and other.
Table 4. Number and percent distribution of office visim by patient’s referral status, major reason for visit, and prior visit status: United States, 1979
Number of Percent Visit characteristic visits in distribution
thousands of visits
All visits . . . .
Referral status Referred by another physician . . Not referred by another physician
Major reason for visit Acute problem . . . . Chronic problem, routine . . . . . Chronic problem, flareup . . . . . Postsurgery orpostinjury . . . . . Nonillnesscarel. . . . .
Prior visit status New patient . . . . Old patient . . . . New problem . . . . Oldproblem . . . .
. . . .
556,313 100.0. . . .
22,413 4.0. . . . 533,900 96.0
. . . .
200,012 36.0. . . . 160,603 289
. . . . 48,310 8.7
. . . . 51,241 9.2
. . . . 96,148 17.3
. . . .
88,136 15.8. . . . 468,178 84.2
. . . . 125,647 22.6
. . . . 342,530 61.6
llnciude~, for example, routine prenatal care, general ex(eminationt or
well-baby examination.
Table 5. Number and percent distribution of office visits by patient’s principal reason for visit: United States, 1979
Table 6. Number and percent of office visits, by the 20 most common principal seasons forvisit: United States, 1979
Numbsr of Percent PrincipaI reason for visit and R VC code? visitsin distribution
drousands of visits Symptoms referable to the
nervous system (excluding
sense organs) . . . S200-S259 Symptoms referable to
the cardiovascular and
lymphatic systems. . . . S260-S299 Symptoms referable to
the eyes and ears. . . S300-S399 Symptoms referable to the
respirato~ system. . . . S400-S488 Symptoms referable to the
digestive system . . . S500-S639 Symptoms referable tothe
genitourinary system . . . . S640-S829 Symptoms referable to the
skin, nails, and hair . . . S830-S899 Symptoms referable to the
musculoskeletal system. . . S900-S999 Disease moduIe . , . . . .DOOI-D999 Diagnostic, screening, and
preventive module. . . . .X1 OO-X599 Treatment module . . . TIOO-T899 Injuries and adverse effects
module . . . .JOO1-J999 Test results module. . . . .R1OO-R7OO Administrative module . . . .A1OO-A14O 0ther2 . . . .. U99O-U999
Most common principal reason for Number of ~erent
Rank visit and R VC coda~ visitsin
thousands of visi~
GeneraI medical examination . . . . X1OO Prenatal examination. . . . X205 Progress visit not otherwise
specified . . . .. TBOO Symptoms referable to throat. . . . .S455 Postoperative visit. . . . T205 Cough . . . ..S44O Backsymptoms . . . ..S9O5 Heed cold, upper respiratory
infection . . . ..S445 Skinrash . . . ..S86O Chest pain and related symptoms (not
referable to body system) . . . .S050 Blood pressure test . . . X320 Earache, or ear infection. . . . .S355 Vision dysfunctions. . . . .S305 Abdominal pain, cramps, spasms . . .S550 Headache, pain in head. . . . .S210
144A R~~50n for visit Clas~ifi~atiOn for Am b”jatOry Care,,, vital and
Health Statistics, Series 2-No. 78, Fab. 1979.
1 Based on “A Reason for Visit Classification for Ambulatory Care,’”
vital and Health Statistics, Series 2-No. 78, Feb. 1979.
21ncludes blanks, problems and complaints not elsewhere classified, entries of “none,” and illagible entries.
6
Table 7. Number and percent distribution of office visits by principal diagnosis: United States, 1979
Table 8. Number and percent of office visits, by the 20 most common principal diagnoses: United States. 1979
Number of Percent Principal diagnosis and ICD-9-CM code~ visitsin distribution
drousands of visits
All diagnoses . . . . Infectious and parasitic diseases. . .001-139 Neoplasms . . . ...140-239 Endocrine, nutritional, and
metabolic diseases and
immunity disorders . . . .240-279 Mental disorders. . . . .290-319 Diseases of the nervous system and
sense organs . . . .320-389 Diseases of the circulatory
system . . . ..390459 Diseases of the respirato~
system . . . ..460-519 Diseases of the digestive system . ..520-579 Diseases of the ganitourinary
system . . . ..580-629 Diseases of the skin and
subcutaneous tissue . . . .680-709 Diseases of the musculoskaietal
system and connective tissue. . . .710-739 Symptoms, signs, and ill-defined
conditions . . . .780-799 Injury and poisoning . . . .800-999 Supplementary classification . . . VOI-V82 Another diagnosesz . . . .
1 Based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clin-ical Modification (I CD-9-CM).
21 nc]”de~ disaasa~ of the blood a“d bl~~d.f~rmi”g organs (280.289):
complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the puercmrium (630-676);
congenital anomalies (740-759); and certain conditions oriEinatin9 in the perinatal period (760-779).
31 ncl”des blsnk diagnosis, noncodable diegnosis, and illegible diagnosis.
Most common principal diagnosis and Number of Pement
Rank ICD-9-CM code~ visitsin,
thousatufs of visits General medical examination . . . v70 Acute upper respiratory inactions
of multiple or unspecified sitea . . . 465 Health supervision of infant or child . V20 Suppurative and unspecified otitis
media . . . ...382 Neurotic disordera . . . 300 Allergic rhinitis . . . 477 Diabetes mellitus . . . 250 Disorders of refraction and
accommodation . . . 367 Obesity and other hyperalimentation. 278 Acute pharyngitis. . . . 462 Other forms of chronic ischemic
heart disease . . . .414 Certain adverse effects not elsewhere
classified . . . ..995 Contact dermatitis and other eczema. 692 Acute tonsillitis . . . ; . . . 463
1 Ba=d O“ Imernational Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clin-ical Modification (ICD-9-CM).
Table 9. Number and percent of office visits, by diagnostic and therapeutic services ordered or provided: United States, 1979
Number of
Diagnostic md tfre;apeu tic ~mice5 PeEent visits in Immunization/desensitization. . . . . Dietcounseling . . . . Family planning . . . . Medical counseling . . . . Physiotherapy . . . . C$fficesurgefy . . . . Psychotherapy /therapeutic listening . . . . . Other . . . .
Table 10. Number and percent distribution of office visits by disposition andduretion of visit: United States, 1979
Number of Percent Disposition and duration ‘visits in distribution
thousands of visits
lwi(i nottid to 100. tJsincemorathan onodisposition wac possible.
2RePre=nts viSi~ in which there was no faCe-tO-faCe COritwt batwem the patient and the physician.