Visits to Primary Care Delivery Sites: United States, 2008

Interest in access, utilization, and quality of primary care has increased due to its potential to prevent more serious health-related events (1–4). This report compares care delivered in physician offices, hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) and community health centers (CHCs).In 2008 62% of the 1.1 billion ambulatory care visits were made to primary care delivery sites (5–7). Although primary care may be provided by any specialty, our analysis is limited to visits to office-based physicians, CHC providers, and OPD clinics specializing in internal medicine, family or general practice, general pediatrics, and general obstetrics and gynecology.