Time and money in pediatric practice

Abstract

The types of services provided by pediatricians in Ontario and the payment they received from OHIP for a three-month period in 1972 are examined. Pediatricians provided 4.8% of the total of 16.3 million services and received 3.3% of the total $117.7 million payment. Most of the services were provided in ambulatory settings. Skin testing for allergy and hyposensitization accounted for 42% of the total of pediatric services. More than two thirds of pediatricians were engaged in provision of services which could be classified as primary care. Indeed, most of the services provided were of a primary care nature.There is a pressing need for redifining the pediatrician's role in our health-care delivery system and for a new look at his education.