Term: Causes of Ambulatory Visits

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Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2020-05-19

Definition:

This indicator measures the distribution or frequency of diagnoses attributed during ambulatory visits to a physician / primary care provider / specialist This indicator is based on the diagnosis code recorded and is grouped according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Chapters , and is usually reported by geographic area. Typically only the top five or ten causes are reported.

NOTE: The diagnosis code recorded as part of the ambulatory visits - physician in the Medical Services data uses ICD-9-CM coding.

In the 2019 RHA Indicators Atlas, this indicator includes visits to family physicians, specialists, and nurse practitioners. The ICD-9-CM diagnoses codes were grouped into causes as follows:

• Cause 1 - Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (ICD-9-CM: 001-13999)
  
• Cause 2 - Cancer (ICD-9-CM: 140-23999)
  
• Cause 3 - Endocrine & Metabolic Diseases (ICD-9-CM: 240-27999)
  
• Cause 4 - Disorders of Blood (ICD-9-CM: 280-28999)
  
• Cause 5 - Mental Illnesses (ICD-9-CM: 290-31999)
  
• Cause 6 - Nervous System (ICD-9-CM: 320-38999)
  
• Cause 7 - Circulatory System (ICD-9-CM: 390-45999)
  
• Cause 8 - Respiratory System (ICD-9-CM: 460-51999)
  
• Cause 9 - Digestive System (ICD-9-CM: 520-57999)
  
• Cause 10 - Genitourinary System (ICD-9-CM: 580-62999)
  
• Cause 11 - Pregnancy & Birth
  • ICD-9-CM: 630-67999; OR
    
  • Sex = female (2) and tariff: 8400, 8401, 8402, or 8416; OR
    
  • Sex = female (2) and diagnosis ICD-9-CM: V22, V23, V24, V27, V28, or V91
    
  • Note: Pregnancy and Birth “overrides” the classification of some codes. For example, V22, V23, etc. for females would be classified as Cause 18 if we did not manually change their classification.
• Cause 12 - Disorders of Skin (ICD-9-CM: 680-70999)
  
• Cause 13 - Musculoskeletal System (ICD-9-CM: 710-73999)
  
• Cause 14 - Congenital Anomalies (ICD-9-CM: 740-75999)
  
• Cause 15 - Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period (ICD-9-CM: 760-77999)
  
• Cause 16 - Symptoms, Signs & Ill-Defined Conditions (ICD-9-CM: 780-79999)
  
• Cause 17 - Injury & Poisoning (ICD-9-CM: 800-99999)
  
• Cause 18 - Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact (ICD-9-CM: V01-V9199)
  
• Cause 19 - External Causes of Injury (ICD-9-CM: E800-E9999)
  
• Cause 99 –All Others
  • ' ' (Missing); OR
    
  • Pregnant male; OR
    
  • Infrequent causes; OR
    
  • Other codes (e.g., incorrect codes)

For more detailed information on "causes of ambulatory visits", see:

• section 8.9 'Causes' of Physician Visits in Martens et al. (2003);
  
• section 6.9 Causes of Physician Visits in Fransoo et al. (2009); and
  
• section 6.4 Causes of Physician Visits in Fransoo et al. (2013).
  
• section 5.4 Causes of Ambulatory Visits in Fransoo et al. (2019).

Related terms 

• Ambulatory Visits - Physician
• Ambulatory Visits - Primary Care Provider / Ambulatory Primary Care Visits
• Ambulatory Visits to Specialists / Ambulatory Specialist Visits
• Causes of Death
• Causes of Hospitalization / Causes of Inpatient Hospitalization (Acute Care)
• Injury Hospitalization Causes
• International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Chapters

References 

• Fransoo R, Martens P, Burland E, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C. Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas 2009. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)

Term used in 

• Chartier M, Dart A, Tangri N, Komenda P, Walld R, Bogdanovic B, Burchill C, Koseva I, McGowan K-L, Rajotte L. Care of Manitobans Living with Chronic Kidney Disease. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2015. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C, Koseva I, Bailly A, Allegro E. The 2013 RHA Indicators Atlas. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2013. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Fransoo R, Mahar A, The Need to Know Team, Anderson A, Prior H, Koseva I, McCulloch S, Jarmasz J, Burchill S. The 2019 RHA Indicators Atlas. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2019. [Report] [Summary] [Updates and Errata] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, Black C, Dik N, MacWilliam L, Derksen S, Walld R, Steinbach C, Dahl M. The Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas: Population-Based Comparison of Health and Health Care Use. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)