Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions Hospitalization

Why Is This Important?

Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) are conditions for which hospitalizations can be prevented or avoided with quality outpatient care from primary care providers. Early intervention by primary care providers can prevent future complications and/or the progression to more severe disease. Studying ACSC related hospitalizations can inform researchers on the quality and timeliness of care residents with ACSC receive from area primary healthcare providers.

Definition

Inpatient hospital visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions per 100,000 population age 18 or older, age-adjusted. Acute Ambulatory Care Sensitive (ACS) conditions include dehydration, bacterial pneumonia, or urinary tract infection (UTI). Chronic ACSCs include diabetes with short term complications, diabetes with long-term complications, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, heart failure without a cardiac procedure, uncontrolled diabetes without complications, asthma, or diabetes with lower-extremity amputation.

Data Sources

• New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
  (http://gps.unm.edu/)
• Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data, New Mexico Department of Health.

How the Measure is Calculated