Pediatric neurology services in Canada: demand versus supply

As the practice of pediatric neurology has continued to evolve and expand, concerns have emerged regarding a perceived trend toward increasing clinical demand and decreasing manpower. Quantitative data are lacking, however. To address this, a questionnaire was sent to hospital-based pediatric neurology units in Canada, with all 18 centers responding. A total of 63 full-time-equivalent pediatric neurologists were disproportionately spread across the country, giving an overall ratio of 2.1 per million population (or 1.1 per 100,000 children). Waiting times for nonurgent consultations showed a median of 12.5 weeks. The number of weekly clinics per population was not proportional to either the number of specialists per center or to the waiting times. The regional variations in the level of service do not correlate with the regional manpower figures, reflecting different individual profiles of clinical and academic activities.