Fig. 1

Comparison of health care utilization and expenditure among patients affiliated and not affiliated with healthcare professionals. Notes: ^aCoarsened exact matching was used including health status indicator, health insurance, living in the urban or rural area, age, gender, educational level and economic status in the matching for health care utilization. ^bOutpatient level was further added in the matching for per-outpatient expenditure. ^cInpatient level and inpatient reason were further added in the matching for yearly inpatient expenditure. ^dp < 0.001