From 2008 to 2015, total acute care utilization for the treatment of low-acuity conditions and associated spending per member in the United States increased, and utilization of non-ED acute care venues increased rapidly. These findings suggest that patients are more likely to visit urgent care centers than EDs for the treatment of low-acuity conditions. This study included 20.6 million acute care visits for treatment of low-acuity conditions over the 8-year period. Visits to the ED for the treatment of low-acuity conditions decreased by 36% (from 89 visits per 1000 members in 2008 to 57 visits per 1000 members in 2015), whereas use of non-ED venues increased by 140% (from 54 visits per 1000 members in 2008 to 131 visits per 1000 members in 2015).

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