| SIC Codes: | 8021 8041 8042 8043 8049 8011 5995 4119 8071 8099 8093 8092 8082 |
| NAICS Codes: | 621210 621310 621320 621330 621340 621391 621399 621410 621420 621491 621492 621112 621111 446130 621493 621999 621991 621910 621610 621512 621511 621498 |
Companies in this industry, which include physicians, dentists, outpatient care centers, and imaging and diagnostic facilities, provide health care services to ambulatory patients. Major companies include Apria Healthcare, DaVita HealthCare, and Urgent Care Holdings (all based in the US), as well as Fresenius (Germany), LVL Médical Groupe (France), and Sonic Healthcare (Australia).
Demand for health care services is driven by demographics and advances in medical care and technology. Large companies have advantages in accessing the latest medical research, buying supplies, offering a wide range of services, and negotiating contracts with health insurers. Small companies such as physician offices can compete successfully by serving a limited geographical area, offering specialized services, or building a local reputation for quality care. The US ambulatory health care industry sector is highly fragmented: the top 50 firms generate only about 10 percent of revenue.
Major services include outpatient care provided by physicians (about 50 percent of industry revenue), dental care (13 percent), outpatient care services (12 percent), and medical and diagnostic laboratory services (6 percent). Other services include urgent care, mental health services, home health care, and rehabilitation therapy. Health care in the US is led by for-profit entities, an exception to the global norm of nationalized medicine.