Hospital, doctor visits up 20 percent in 5 years

[Roon]

WASHINGTON - Hospital and doctor visits in the United States have surged by 20 percent in the past five years, and the most commonly prescribed medications are antidepressants, according to statistics published on Friday.

The survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found most people who visited emergency rooms had private health insurance, although the uninsured were twice as likely to use emergency services as people with insurance.

The report estimates that 1.2 billion visits were made to hospitals, emergency rooms and physicians’ offices in 2005.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19511691/

[Donnachaidh]

1. And I'll bet the numbers of ADVERTISEMENTS surged too

Was watching an ad for AmbienCR and the language they use is startling. No mention of a doctor -- but you should speak to your PRESCRIBER (!!!???!!!) about getting a free sample. Are the drug companies going to start telling people to get their drugs from a new version of salesperson?

These ads need to be BANNED.

[The Straight Story]

2. The fear factor is what I call it

Listen to the radio for a week and make a note of all the commercials based on medical conditions you might have, how you need a heart scan, you might have X/Y/Z and not know it, see your doctor who can give you something to make it better (the same Dr we paying for each prescription he writes for it...)

Fear, fear, fear - masquerading as information.

[lligrd]

3. Depression On The Rise During Bush Administration?

No surprise there.

[mdmc]

4. nice sig

:kick:

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Well we know that the uninsured often use the ER as a clinic, and many times they don't

see a doctor regularly so that small problems that could have been taken care of become bigger problems.

Been there done that.

[marions ghost]

6. Stress.

what is never quantified in all these analyses of the failing US health system is the medical price of keeping the population in a constant state of low level anxiety & fear. So many live in constant fear of losing job, house, health insurance, retirement fund--the basic security fears. And then there are the free-floating ones--eg. terra, immigrants, gays, Hillary.

It takes a toll.

[bdamomma]

7. it is * traumatic syndrome