The national ambulatory medical care survey (NAMCS) at fifty: Past and future

Over the last two decades, annual publication rates citing NAMCS data have declined, coincident with lower response rates and more detailed questionnaires. Nationally representative encounter-specific data verified by the clinician of record will likely have renewed value for those who develop, implement, and assess healthcare policy if response rates improve, and questionnaire review and finalization are streamlined. Though multispecialty data offer unique opportunities for comparisons, sampling a subset of clinicians, such as those providing primary care, would complement national efforts to improve access to continuous comprehensive care.