Contact: Debbie Condrey
Email: Debbie.Condrey@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Health Information analyzed the growing overuse of unnecessary care throughout the state using data from the Virginia All Payer Claims Database (VA APCD). The report looks at the five most common potentially avoidable emergency department (ED) visits in 2015 across all of Virginia. These five common visits (other headache, otitis media and related conditions, upper respiratory infections, other back problems, and urinary tract infections) accounted for $79,727,563 in medical spending in 2015. These ED visits could have been prevented and/or more appropriately managed by a primary care provider (PCP). Total cost for similar care provided by a PCP in 2015 was $10,977,040. That is a potential savings of $68,750,523. By visiting a PCP before major issues arise, Virginians will be able to decrease the number of visits and cost of unnecessary healthcare.