Emergency department visits with mental health or substance use disorder diagnosis present in a patient’s record, per 1,000 population
Hospital emergency departments are the 24/7 safety net for patients suffering from mental health or substance use disorders. The range for this measure was even more distressing than the chronic conditions measure. The statewide zip code range was from a low of 14.4 visits per 1,000 population to a maximum of 517 visits per 1,000 population. In the 38 zip codes with the poorest health status the median was 149.7 visits per 1,000 population versus a statewide median of 60.9 – or 2.5 times greater. See Appendix.
Low-acuity emergency department visits, per 1,000 population
Patients with limited access to primary care providers or who lack health insurance often utilize the hospital emergency room for low-acuity services. CHART measured the variation across zip codes for this as well. The range was from a low of zero visits to a maximum of 75.6 visits per 1,000 population. In the 38 zip codes with the poorest health status the median was 13.7 visits per 1,000 population versus a statewide median of 4.3 – or 3.2 times greater. See Appendix.
