Chartbook on Access to Health Care

• Timeliness in health care is the system’s capacity to provide care quickly after a need is recognized. (Healthy People 2020). 
• Timely delivery of appropriate care can help reduce mortality and morbidity for chronic conditions, such as kidney disease (Smart & Titus, 2011).

Timeliness Measures 

• Adults who needed care right away for an illness, injury, or condition in the last 12 months who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted, by insurance (ages 18-64) and ethnicity, 2002-2012. 
• Children who needed care right away for an illness, injury, or condition in the last 12 months who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted, by preferred language and ethnicity, 2002-2012.

Trends in Adults Getting Care As Soon As Wanted

Adults who needed care right away for an illness, injury, or condition in the last 12 months who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted, by insurance (ages 18-64) and ethnicity, 2002-2012 

Data Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002-2012.

Note: White and Black are non-Hispanic. Hispanic includes all races.

Groups With Disparities:

• In 2012, the percentage of adults who needed care right away who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted was 35% for uninsured people, 20.3% for those with public insurance, and 12.9% for those with private insurance. 
• In all years, uninsured adults were less likely to receive needed care right away for an illness, injury, or condition in the last 12 months. 
• From 2010 to 2012, Hispanics were less likely than Whites to receive care as soon as wanted.

Trends in Children Getting Care As Soon As Wanted

Children who needed care right away for an illness, injury, or condition in the last 12 months who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted, by preferred language and ethnicity, 2002-2012 

Data Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002-2012.

Note: For 2010 in the language chart, the data did not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.

Groups With Disparities:

• In 2012, the percentage of children who needed care right away who sometimes or never got care as soon as wanted was 9.3% for those who spoke a language other than English and 3.0% for those who spoke English. 
• In all years, English-speaking children were less likely than children speaking other languages to have problems receiving care as soon as wanted. 
• From 2007 to 2012, Hispanic children were more likely than non-Hispanic White children to sometimes or never get care as soon as wanted.

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