By Bill Carey
EMS1
A study by The Parrish Law Firm in Virginia using data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has revealed which states are the least and most efficient at providing medical care for illnesses or injuries, with Nevada identified as the state performing the worst in terms of immediate medical care.
The study utilized data from AHRQ on the percentage of adults who required urgent medical care for illnesses or injuries and reported either “sometimes” or “never” receiving the care as soon as they wanted, spanning the past six or twelve months. Through this analysis, the study identified both the worst-performing and top-performing states in terms of providing timely urgent medical care.
Nevada ranks as the least effective state for urgent medical care, with a significant 17.8% of adults reporting delays in accessing necessary treatment for illnesses or injuries. This rate is 3.5% higher than any other state, indicating major healthcare accessibility issues within Nevada.
Arizona follows as the second-worst state, with 14.3% of adults experiencing challenges in obtaining timely medical care when needed.
Alaska is third, where 13.8% of adults have reported delays in receiving urgent medical care for health issues.
New Hampshire holds the fourth position, with 12.8% of adults facing difficulties in timely access to medical treatment for their health conditions.
Oregon is fifth, as 12.7% of adults reported not always receiving medical care within their desired time frame.
California and New Mexico are sixth and seventh, respectively, with 12.3% and 11.8% of adults encountering delays in accessing urgent medical care.
In eighth and ninth place are Colorado and Michigan, where 11.7% and 11.6% of adults respectively face obstacles in obtaining timely medical attention.
Hawaii rounds out the top ten, with 11.5% of adults struggling to access immediate care when needed.
The study also highlighted the top states for efficient medical care, with Iowa leading the list. Only 5.5% of patients in Iowa reported delays in receiving timely care for their health issues. Nebraska followed closely, securing the second spot with 6.1% of adults facing hurdles in getting urgent medical care.
Kentucky was third, with a low 6.7% of adults experiencing delays in accessing immediate care. South Dakota, in fourth place, showed effective healthcare delivery with only 7.2% of adults reporting challenges in receiving urgent care.
Idaho and Utah tied for fifth, each with 7.9% of adults indicating difficulty in timely care access. Louisiana and North Dakota each recorded an 8% delay rate, sharing sixth place.
Montana and Ohio were seventh, each with 8.1% of patients unable to access timely care, followed by Wisconsin in eighth with an 8.5% delay rate.
In ninth place, Alabama, Kansas, and Wyoming each had 8.6% of residents reporting longer wait times for care.
Rounding out the top ten, New York showed a commitment to accessible healthcare despite its dense population, with 8.7% of adults experiencing delays in receiving urgent care.