The health care utilization data is processed and stored in the Health care utilization project. When a patient visits the hospital, a billing record is created by the hospital. The hospital sends patient data to the data organization stores of the respective states. The information from state database is then sent to the Health Care Cost and Utilization project, where the data is stored in a standardized format and utilized in guiding health care decisions and policies.
Factors like socioeconomic status, physician supply, health care beliefs of the person, health status and the risk behavior of the population, will determine the health care utilization. When the income of the person and level of education is higher, more is the health care utilization. Though the prevalence of diseases and poor health status is higher in lower socioeconomic groups, it does not correlate positively with healthcare utilization, when compared with individuals who are in the upper socioeconomic group. Within the low socioeconomic group, women tend to have higher health care utilization when compared to men. Likewise, elderly people tend to utilize health care services more frequently than the younger people. The introduction of government health care policies like Medicare and Medicaid, has improved health care utilization in lower socioeconomic groups. Government policies to reduce risk behavior can reduce health care utilization by promoting good health. Smoking, alcohol and practices while driving are some of risk associated behavior that will harm health. Despite low life expectancy, the medical expenditure of smokers is higher when compared to the average population. Proper enforcement of health policies will help to improve health and can have a significant impact on health care utilization. (Morreale, 2004)
Health care utilization is affected by the ease with which a person can access health care facilities. Social, economic, cultural and geographic factors can influence the ease with which people can access the health care facility. Low number of physicians and health care facility will reduce the ease with which people can access the health care facility. On the other hand, absence of ambulatory surgery center and assisted living facilities in the location, increases the dependence of healthcare facilities. Likewise, elderly population, has more functional limitation that can limit their access to health care. Though this population requires more health care needs, the difficulty to access health care, can impair health care utilization. Health care insurance and cost of health care facilities, can also influence health care access. (Bernstein et al., 2003)
Differences in health care access can lead to healthcare disparity in the population. People who cannot afford health care and lack health insurance, are likely to delay visiting health care center until they reach an advanced stage of a critical illness. Many diseases are preventable or treatable at an early stage. Thus, lack of access will increase the number of people seeking hospital for critical diseases. This can also increase health care cost. Preventive measures can help reduce many critical diseases and save health care cost. Without proper access, people will have difficulty in getting time prescription and preventive measures. Long waiting hours and difficulty in getting appointment will discourage people from seeking help from health care and their health will continue to deteriorate. (Hermosa, 2009)
The health disparity increases segregation of certain diseases in a particular population. For example, the incidence of venereal diseases is higher in certain racial minorities and poor socioeconomic population. It increases infection rate in the disadvantaged communities and increases vulnerability of the population to diseases. Health disparity is contradictory to the ethical principles of equality. Though there are a number of policies to address health care inequality in the population, it can be effectively implemented only if equal health care access is provided to everyone in the country. (Hermosa, 2009)
References
Bernstein, A., Hing, E., Moss, A., Allen, K., Siller, A., & Tiggle, R. (2003). Health care in America: Trends in utilization. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics.
Hermosa, L. (2009). Health Disparity and Advocacy for Accessible, Equitable and Culturally Appropriate Healthcare. Journal of Nursing Practice Applications and Reviews of Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.13178/jnparr.2016.0601.0702
Morreale, M. (2004). Fact Sheet: What Factors Can Influence Health Care Utilization? Ontaria: University of Torento.
