The Relationship Between Health Status and Utilization of Outpatient Health Care Services

Abstract

A short, self-administered proxy health status score has been shown to correlate highly with physician’s appraisal based on physical examination. The proxy score has been related to rate of use of ambulatory services by subscribers to two different health insurance plans, one a closed panel group practice plan, and one an open panel largely solo practice. It has been found that health status predicts well those who will not use health care services, but does not predict how much the users will use. Differences between the two health plans in health status-utilization dynamics are noted and discussed.