RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine the profile of all consultations carried out in paediatricians offices in the Barwon region over a 12-month period. METHODOLOGY: The age, sex, category, diagnosis, and outcome of all non-hospital-based paediatric consultations carried out in the Barwon region were documented prospectively on a day by day basis. Relevant demographic data and information on Barwon children treated elsewhere were also collected. The frequency of different categories of illness, systems involved and groups of diagnoses was determined. RESULTS: A total of 14,711 consultations was carried out in the region with 10% of the childhood population having contact with the paediatricians during the year; 3135 new patients or problems were seen with 34.8% of all consultations involving behavioural problems and 76% of these relating to ADHD. The most frequent medical diagnostic group was CNS/disability being 16% of all consultations. At least 50% of the medical consultations involved chronic illness. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioural difficulty, chronic disability, and learning problems represent a significant part of the workload of community-based general paediatricians. Appropriate exposure during paediatric training should be given to these issues along with more sophisticated training in the medical, social and psychological complications of chronic illness and its effect on clients and families.
Asunto(s)
Visita a Consultorio Médico/estadística & datos numéricos , Pediatría/estadística & datos numéricos , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Niño , Preescolar , Grupos Diagnósticos Relacionados/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Investigación sobre Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Morbilidad , Evaluación de Necesidades , Pediatría/educación , Estudios Prospectivos , Distribución por Sexo , Victoria/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To detail the acute and chronic paediatric service and community-orientated activities and responsibilities of community-based general paediatricians. METHODOLOGY: Data were collected over the 12 months July 1996 to June 1997 relevant to (i) acute neonatology and paediatrics, (ii) the different community paediatric service organizations with which the paediatricians were involved, and (iii) the quantification of the amount of time spent in non-consulting paediatric work. RESULTS: Findings revealed decreasing hospital admissions, infrequent severe neonatal resuscitation requirements, extensive involvement in community organizations and a great deal of time spent in non-consulting paediatric work. CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing training and upgrading in acute paediatric diagnostic and procedural skills, rationalization of resuscitation expertise, training in management and administrative skills and models of care for the chronically ill should become part of the training of community-based general paediatricians.