Top 100 reasons for emergency room visits
Casual viewers of prime-time television programs like “Grey’s Anatomy” or “The Resident” might be forgiven for thinking their local ER is loaded with victims of car crashes, explosions, and other dramatic events on a daily basis. The reality, however, is a little more mundane. While emergency rooms across the country certainly deal with all manner of serious conditions, the fact is quite a few of the patients who come into the ER are there for relatively minor, non-life-threatening reasons.
Stacker analyzed data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to determine the 100 most common reasons for emergency room visits in the United States. The data, which was last updated in 2014, gives some fascinating insight into ER usage in America. Some visits, like those for sprains or fatigue, were non-emergent (a growing problem in American medical care). Others were for much more serious conditions. Think you can guess the top 10? Read on to see the full list—no spoilers, but we bet our #1 isn’t what you think it is!
#100. Medical examination/evaluation
Total number of visits: 247,120
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 78
#99. Disease of mouth, excluding dental
Total number of visits: 249,374
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 78
#98. Other infections, including parasitic
Total number of visits: 256,766
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 81
#97. Other complications of birth, puerperium affecting management of the mother
Total number of visits: 257,848
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 81
#96. Other screening for suspected conditions (not mental disorders or infectious disease)
Total number of visits: 258,147
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 81
#95. Transient cerebral ischemia
Total number of visits: 269,156
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 84
#94. Other circulatory disease
Total number of visits: 285,685
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 90
#93. Phlebitis, thrombophlebitis and thromboembolism
Total number of visits: 290,076
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 91
#92. Abdominal hernia
Total number of visits: 305,331
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 96
#91. Skull and face fractures
Total number of visits: 307,521
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 96
#90. Ovarian cyst
Total number of visits: 310,713
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 97
#89. Acute and chronic tonsillitis
Total number of visits: 316,355
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 99
#88. Fracture of neck of femur (hip)
Total number of visits: 321,708
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 101
#87. Anemia
Total number of visits: 324,745
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 102
#86. Other eye disorders
Total number of visits: 330,150
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 104
#85. Hypertension with complications and secondary hypertension
Total number of visits: 336,272
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 106
#84. Poisoning by nonmedicinal substances
Total number of visits: 339,725
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 107
#83. Appendicitis and other appendiceal conditions
Total number of visits: 346,825
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 109
#82. Mycoses
Total number of visits: 360,999
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 113
#81. Diabetes mellitus without complication
Total number of visits: 371,185
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 116
#80. Menstrual disorders
Total number of visits: 376,243
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 118
#79. Respiratory failure, insufficiency, arrest (adult)
Total number of visits: 379,269
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 119
#78. Intestinal obstruction without hernia
Total number of visits: 391,692
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 123
#77. Coronary atherosclerosis
Total number of visits: 392,003
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 123
#76. Burns
Total number of visits: 401,445
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 126
#75. Pancreatic disorders (not diabetes)
Total number of visits: 403,329
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 127
#74. Esophageal disorders
Total number of visits: 415,466
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 130
#73. Poisoning by other medications and drugs
Total number of visits: 422,833
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 133
#72. Intestinal infection
Total number of visits: 472,936
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 148
#71. Inflammatory disease of female pelvic organs
Total number of visits: 473,080
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 148
#70. Acute and unspecified renal failure
Total number of visits: 482,616
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 151
#69. Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
Total number of visits: 483,770
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 152
#68. Joint disorders and dislocations, trauma-related
Total number of visits: 506,865
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 159
#67. Administrative/social admission
Total number of visits: 522,717
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 164
#66. Malaise and fatigue
Total number of visits: 538,644
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 169
#65. Acute myocardial infarction
Total number of visits: 560,223
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 176
#64. Complication of device, implant or graft
Total number of visits: 567,978
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 178
#63. Other fractures
Total number of visits: 616,450
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 193
#62. Gastritis and duodenitis
Total number of visits: 617,969
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 194
#61. Other female genital disorders
Total number of visits: 628,696
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 197
#60. Hemorrhage during pregnancy, abruptio placenta, placenta previa
Total number of visits: 657,061
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 206
#59. Acute cerebrovascular disease
Total number of visits: 665,962
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 209
#58. Other ear and sense organ disorders
Total number of visits: 700,376
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 220
#57. Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Total number of visits: 701,981
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 220
#56. Substance-related disorders
Total number of visits: 702,734
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 220
#55. Biliary tract disease
Total number of visits: 707,356
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 222
#54. Complications of surgical procedures or medical care
Total number of visits: 714,900
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 224
#53. Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
Total number of visits: 767,102
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 241
#52. Influenza
Total number of visits: 782,665
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 246
#51. Intracranial injury
Total number of visits: 795,203
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 249
#50. Inflammation, infection of eye (except that caused by tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases)
Total number of visits: 815,080
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 256
#49. Diabetes mellitus with complications
Total number of visits: 819,637
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 257
#48. Essential hypertension
Total number of visits: 831,977
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 261
#47. Genitourinary symptoms and ill-defined conditions
Total number of visits: 853,831
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 268
#46. Other upper respiratory disease
Total number of visits: 914,241
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 287
#45. Other aftercare
Total number of visits: 920,511
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 289
#44. Congestive heart failure, nonhypertensive
Total number of visits: 998,700
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 313
#43. Other skin disorders
Total number of visits: 1,022,648
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 321
#42. Fracture of lower limb
Total number of visits: 1,034,462
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 324
#41. Anxiety disorders
Total number of visits: 1,055,444
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 331
#40. Fluid and electrolyte disorders
Total number of visits: 1,089,760
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 342
#39. Epilepsy, convulsions
Total number of visits: 1,135,573
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 356
#38. Residual codes, unclassified
Total number of visits: 1,226,147
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 385
#37. Syncope
Total number of visits: 1,231,389
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 386
#36. Noninfectious gastroenteritis
Total number of visits: 1,234,604
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 387
#35. Conditions associated with dizziness or vertigo
Total number of visits: 1,260,172
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 395
#34. Calculus of urinary tract
Total number of visits: 1,278,974
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 401
#33. Septicemia (except in labor)
Total number of visits: 1,405,463
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 441
#32. Acute bronchitis
Total number of visits: 1,420,965
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 446
#31. Fever of unknown origin
Total number of visits: 1,442,629
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 452
#30. Mood disorders
Total number of visits: 1,447,172
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 454
#29. Alcohol-related disorders
Total number of visits: 1,458,144
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 457
#28. Cardiac dysrhythmias
Total number of visits: 1,524,359
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 478
#27. Pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases)
Total number of visits: 1,571,428
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 493
#26. Otitis media and related conditions
Total number of visits: 1,593,027
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 500
#25. Viral infections
Total number of visits: 1,626,485
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 510
#24. Fracture of upper limb
Total number of visits: 1,763,258
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 553
#23. Other gastrointestinal disorders
Total number of visits: 1,763,900
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 553
#22. Allergic reactions
Total number of visits: 1,766,749
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 554
#21. Other nervous system disorders
Total number of visits: 1,833,973
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 575
#20. Asthma
Total number of visits: 1,955,609
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 613
#19. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis
Total number of visits: 2,011,535
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 631
#18. Other complications of pregnancy
Total number of visits: 2,054,894
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 645
#17. Nausea and vomiting
Total number of visits: 2,062,444
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 647
#16. Disorders of teeth and jaw
Total number of visits: 2,077,754
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 652
#15. Other non-traumatic joint disorders
Total number of visits: 2,104,161
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 660
#14. Open wounds of head, neck, and trunk
Total number of visits: 2,223,328
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 697
#13. Other lower respiratory disease
Total number of visits: 2,383,777
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 748
#12. Other connective tissue disease
Total number of visits: 2,408,176
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 755
#11. Open wounds of extremities
Total number of visits: 2,906,900
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 912
#10. Headache, including migraine
Total number of visits: 3,174,138
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 996
#9. Other injuries and conditions due to external causes
Total number of visits: 3,243,167
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,017
#8. Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections
Total number of visits: 3,318,272
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,041
#7. Urinary tract infections
Total number of visits: 3,455,199
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,084
#6. Spondylosis, intervertebral disc disorders, other back problems
Total number of visits: 4,158,826
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,304
#5. Nonspecific chest pain
Total number of visits: 4,703,012
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,475
#4. Superficial injury, contusion
Total number of visits: 5,495,241
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,723
#3. Sprains and strains
Total number of visits: 5,755,484
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,805
#2. Other upper respiratory infections
Total number of visits: 5,802,239
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,820
#1. Abdominal pain
Total number of visits: 5,960,139
Rate of visits per 100,000 persons: 1,869
