What's New?   Coming Soon

National Ambulatory Medical Care 
Survey (NAMCS)
Description

National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)
Description

Data Highlights - Selected Tables, Charts, and Graphics
Physician Office Visit Data
Outpatient Department Visit Data
Emergency Department Visit Data
Sports Injuries for Children and Young Adults
Ambulatory Care Data from Health, United States, 2003

Survey Methodology
An overview of the 2002 survey methodology is presented here. Please note that complete survey documentation for all survey years can be easily downloaded using the link under Public-Use Data Files, below.
Survey Instrument
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Scope and sample design
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Data collection and processing
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Estimation procedures
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Reliability of survey estimates
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Classification systems used with the NAMCS and NHAMCS
International Classification of Diseases
National Drug Code Directory
Reason for Visit Classification, Drug Entry List, Generic Ingredient List: These classifications are updated on an annual basis and printed in the documentation for each survey year. In addition, text formats for reason for visit, drug entry, and generic ingredient codes are all available in downloadable SAS formats for data years 1993-2002 and SPSS syntax files for 2002. The SAS and SPSS formats also include text labels for the following codes: diagnosis, cause of injury, procedures, and therapeutic class of drug.
List of survey items, 1973-2002
NAMCS
NHAMCS

Publications using NAMCS/NHAMCS data
NAMCS/NHAMCS Publications List - This contains a complete chronological listing of citations for all NCHS reports, journal articles, and other publications using NAMCS and NHAMCS data. It is meant to be a reference document and does not provide links to downloadable reports. View/download PDF 230 KB

Downloadable NCHS Reports - Selected NCHS reports are listed here, which can be viewed or downloaded.

Public-Use Data Files (micro-data) (1973-2002)
Downloadable data files:
Notice: We are pleased to offer enhanced NAMCS and NHAMCS public-use files for 1993-2002 that contain sample design variables in masked form. The initial release of the 2000-2002 public-use files includes masked sample design variables. We re-released the 1993-99 NAMCS and NHAMCS files to include these variables. For re-released files, file names and layouts are essentially the same, but the design variables have been appended to each file according to a generic file layout that is available for downloading below. Public-use files for previous years of data will be re-released with masked sample design variables on an ongoing basis. 
NAMCS, 1993-2002
NAMCS, 1973-1992
NHAMCS, 1992-2002
Downloadable documentation:
Notice: For data years 1993-99, be sure to download not only the original file documentation for each year, but also the supplemental files that explain the new sample design variables that have been added to each file. The supplemental files also include descriptions of any revisions that may have been made to the original data files.
NAMCS, 1993-2002
NAMCS, 1973-1992
NHAMCS, 1992-2002
Documentation Updates
NAMCS and NHAMCS data can also be downloaded from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).
SAS Documentation:
Notice: We now have SAS input statements, variable labels, value labels, and format assignments available for NAMCS and NHAMCS data years 1993-2002.
NAMCS
SAS Input Statements
SAS Variable Labels and Format Assignments
SAS Value Labels
NHAMCS
SAS Input Statements
SAS Variable Labels and Format Assignments
SAS Value Labels
SPSS Documentation:
Notice: SPSS syntax files for 2002 have been revised to correct some problems.
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Stata Documentation:
NAMCS
NHAMCS
Data on CD-ROM:
NAMCS (1990-2002)
NHAMCS (1992-2001)
Notice: 1995-96 CD-ROM Users
Data on public-use tape:
NAMCS (1973-97)
NHAMCS (1992-97)

Ambulatory Care Drug Database System

Census 2000 Population Estimates - How Do They Affect Visit Rates?

Staff Presentations
2004 Data Users Conference Presentations

Overview of the NAMCS and NHAMCS by Linda McCaig and David Woodwell
View/download PPT

Understanding and Using NAMCS and NHAMCS Data: A Hands-On Workshop (Part 1) by Susan Schappert
View/download PPT
View/download PDF SETS Workbook

Understanding and Using NAMCS and NHAMCS Data: A Hands-On Workshop (Part 2 – Using Raw-Data Files) by Don Cherry
View/download PPT
View/download PDF SAS and SUDAAN Exercises

Using NAMCS Data for Injury Analysis by Linda McCaig
View/download PPT

Characteristics of EDs Serving High Volumes of Safety Net Patients by Catharine Burt
View/download PPT

Using Past Visit Information to Enhance Analysis of NAMCS Data by Catharine Burt
View/download PPT
View/download PDF

Translating Visits into Patients Using Ambulatory Visit Data by Esther Hing and Julia Holmes
View/download PPT

Women’s Health: Data from the NAMCS and NHAMCS by Esther Hing
View/download PPT

Analyzing Data on Medications Collected in the National Health Care Survey by Catharine Burt
View/download PPT

Confidentiality of NAMCS and NHAMCS Data