The measure of preventable hospitalizations in a community indicates the quality and accessibility of primary health care services. If the access and quality of care in the outpatient setting is poor, people may be more likely to overuse the hospital as a main source of care and be hospitalized unnecessarily. An area with a higher density of primary care providers usually has lower rates of hospitalization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions. If access to high quality primary care is increased, a community may be able to reduce its preventable hospitalizations.

 

In Marathon County, rates of some chronic disease conditions in the Medicare population (age 65+) are significantly higher than the state of Wisconsin and U.S. Chronic kidney disease, depression, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis are all higher rates in Marathon County.