title: A study of the practice of otorhinolaryngology in the United States. Initial findings.
abstract: Results of a national survey of nonfederal otorhinolaryngologist regarding their practices provide the following portrait of the typical physician who specializes in otorhinolaryngology: male, between 35 and 45 years old, engaged in solo practice in a metropolitan area in the southern part of the country. He works a 46-hour week, devoting most of his time to patient care. During a typical week, he sees 113 patients, mostly outside the hospital. Half of his patients are male; although their average age is 35, one fourth of his patients are under 15 years. Every third patient is new to him; every other patient has been referred. He spends almost 15 minutes with each patient, many of whom he is seeing on a continuous basis for a problem involving the ear. He prescribes medications in roughly half of all encounters; every tenth patient requires surgery. He rates the majority of the problems he encounters as chronic, and of minor to moderate severity and urgency--for which he provides services of limited complexity or less. He seldom refers his patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002568:Certification / Q000639:trends; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009935:Organizational Affiliation / Q000639:trends; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000639:trends*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D010361:Patients; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000639:trends; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000639:trends*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012423:Rural Health / Q000639:trends; D012737:Sex Factors; D013812:Therapeutics / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014504:Urban Health / Q000639:trends; D000078329:Workforce