Chapter 4. Timeliness (Text Descriptions)

National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2011


Figure 4.1. 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 race and income, 2002-2008

Race2002200320042005200620072008
White (percent)14.513.413.113.414.713.114.0
Black (percent)19.018.417.220.916.517.422.7
Asian (percent)22.726.326.727.421.317.626.3
>1 Race (percent)15.8-18.422.519.8--

Income2002200320042005200620072008
Poor (percent)22.825.825.024.823.019.624.0
Low Income (percent)20.317.515.619.720.316.619.7
Middle Income (percent)15.913.313.514.315.315.414.4
High Income (percent)9.99.710.310.010.59.810.9

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002-2008.

Denominator: Civilian noninstitutionalized population age 18 and over.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better.

Footnote: - = no data value available.

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Figure 4.2. 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 ethnicity and income, 2002-2008

Ethnicity2002200320042005200620072008
Non-Hispanic White (percent)6.78.17.27.76.56.84.3
Non-Hispanic Black (percent)7.27.95.06.79.18.46.5
Hispanic (percent)10.613.910.59.36.78.910.0

Income2002200320042005200620072008
Poor (percent)12.212.510.99.47.69.58.8
Low Income (percent)8.912.67.310.110.1126.8
Middle Income (percent)7.8107.38.27.410.74.8
High Income (percent)43.85.26.24.7-4

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2002-2008.

Denominator: Civilian noninstitutionalized population under age 18.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better.

Footnote: - = no data value available.

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Figure 4.3. Emergency department visits in which patient had to wait an hour or more by urgency, race, and insurance status, 2008-2009

RaceImmediate/EmergentUrgent
White (percent)15.729.3
Black (percent)20.635.8

Insurance StatusImmediate/EmergentUrgent
Private (percent)15.628.4
Public (percent)20.733.3
Uninsured (percent)18.834.6

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), 2008-2009.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better.

Footnote: - = no data value available.

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Figure 4.4. Hospital patients with heart attack who received percutaneous coronary intervention within 90 minutes, by race/ethnicity, 2005-2009

Race / Ethnicity20052006200720082009
White (percent)43.455.173.082.188.1
Black (percent)29.142.262.274.381.5
Hispanic (percent)33.846.766.477.585.1
AI/AN (percent)43.253.566.269.384.7
Asian (percent)39.649.869.580.987.2

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Quality Improvement Organization Program, 2005-2009.

Denominator: Patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction who were appropriate candidates for percutaneous coronary intervention.

Note: Data were insufficient for this analysis for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders.
2008 Achievable Benchmark: 91.0%.

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Figure 4.5. Hospital patients with heart attack who received fibrinolytic medication within 30 minutes, by race/ethnicity, 2005-2009

Race / Ethnicity20052006200720082009
White (percent)38.743.651.851.055.7
Black (percent)27.732.644.537.846.8
Hispanic (percent)36.837.843.247.652.8
Asian (percent)43.945.555.548.258.6

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Quality Improvement Organization Program, 2005-2009.

Denominator: Patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction who were appropriate candidates for fibrinolytic medication.
2008 Achievable Benchmark: 61%.

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Page last reviewed October 2014
Internet Citation: Chapter 4. Timeliness (Text Descriptions): National Healthcare Disparities Report, 2011. October 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/nhdr11/chap4txt.html