Becker's Healthcare November 6, 2024
A recent study found that hospital geographic market boundaries often differ from actual patient travel patterns, indicating that hospital service areas may not accurately define patient populations, Medscape reported.
The study, published Nov. 5 in Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed healthcare utilization data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey between 2018 and 2021. Researchers examined a total of 825,292 office visits, 23,334 emergency department visits and 10,552 inpatient stays. They then used an online geographic information system to geocode patient and provider addresses, assess travel times, and determine if visits occurred within various counties.
Here are four findings from the study:
- Emergency department visits: 74.8% occurred within the...
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