The general pediatrician as care coordinator for children with chronic illness.
As the number of children with chronic illness increases due to advances in medical technology, general pediatricians are faced with the challenge of providing continuing care for such patients. These children and their families are most in need of a care coordinator to guide them through the complexities of obtaining optimal care in all aspects: medical, emotional, social, and developmental. The primary pediatrician is logically positioned to assumed the role of care coordinator. This undertaking requires a knowledge of the needs of such children and their families, an ability to interact with other professionals as member of a team, a sensitivity to the overall functional status of the child and family, and a commitment of a large amount of time and effort. Although these skills are rarely taught during residency training, they can be acquired through continuing education, thereby allowing the pediatrician to experience the satisfaction that derives from helping someone truly in need.
D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008501:Medical Records, Problem-Oriented; D010372:Pediatrics; D010821:Physicians, Family