Size and age-sex distribution of pediatric practice: a study from Pediatric Research in Office Settings.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate (1) the average number of patients per practitioner in Pediatric Research in Office Settings, the national practice-based research network of the American Academy of Pediatrics; (2) the total number of active patients cared for in the network; and (3) the age-sex distribution of patients seen in pediatric practice.


METHODS
Eighty-nine practices in 31 states with 373 Pediatric Research in Office Settings practitioners (59% of Pediatric Research in Office Settings members).


METHODS
Practices were asked to enumerate the number of patients visiting the practice during the 2-year period from January 1, 1991, through December 31, 1992. Patients making multiple visits were counted only once, resulting in a patient count rather than a visit count. Age-sex registers were completed using computer billing records or medical record sampling.


RESULTS
Study participants cared for 529513 active patients (50.7% male). Each practitioner cared for an average of 1546 patients. The number of patients per practitioner was significantly higher in less-populated areas and in solo practices. Children aged 12 years and younger comprised 81% of the patients seen by Pediatric Research in Office Settings practitioners, and more than half of the children were aged 6 years or younger. Before age 5 years, boys accounted for a slightly, but significantly, higher number of patients, whereas after age 14 years, girls comprised a significantly larger proportion of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The average number of 1546 patients per practitioner derived from these private practice data is in line with health maintenance organization-based estimates. Pediatric practitioners predominantly serve younger children. These data provide the only current national estimates of the size and age-sex distribution of independent pediatric practices, and can help pediatricians and health service researchers plan for the future provision of health care to children.
Bocian
A B
AB
Pediatric Research in Office Settings, American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, Ill 60007-1098, USA.
Wasserman
R C
RC
Slora
E J
EJ
Kessel
D
D
Miller
R S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States