“MRI” was the most-searched medical term among patients seeking cost information, according to the website FairHealthConsumer.org.
Magnetic resonance imaging climbed from No. 3 on the 2022 list up to the top spot in 2023. Meanwhile, “CT scan” was the third most-searched term among healthcare consumers, and “ultrasound” was No. 4. The other two terms in the top 5 related to unexpected care visits: “emergency” at No. 2 and “emergency room” at No. 5.
“Consumers demonstrated an appetite for cost information on radiology and emergency services, as well as services related to tooth infection/damage and orthodontics,” FAIR Health said in a Feb. 14 announcement, which also covered the top 5 dental search terms.
This is the 12th annual list for the New York-based consumer research outfit. Like last year’s list, patients ages 25-34 made up the largest portion of those searching medical terms, at 23%. Other common consumer segments included ages 35-44 (22%), 45-54 (17%), and 18-24 (16%). Those searching the website in 2023 also skewed more female (54%) than male (46%).
FAIR Health also charted an uptick in interest around out-of-network care, possibly driven by the No Surprises Act. The website offers articles and videos to help consumers understand complex healthcare topics. Three of the top five in 2023 were related to OON care, whereas none made the list in 2022. Those included “when out-of-network care can be covered in network” (1), “healthcare services not covered by health insurance” (4), and “getting covered for alternative medicine” (5).
You can read more about the findings here and view a related infographic.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.