Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
19:15
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Practice parameters and financial factors impacting developmental-behavioral pediatrics.
Robin Adair1, Ellen Perrin, Carol Hubbard
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School,Worcester, MA 01655, USA. robin.adair@umassmemorial.org
Summary
Developmental-behavioral pediatricians dedicate significant time to indirect patient care, which is often poorly reimbursed. This survey highlights practice patterns and financial challenges for these specialists.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
- Medical Practice Analysis
Background:
- Limited published data exists on the professional activities of developmental-behavioral (DB) pediatricians.
- Understanding their practice settings, time allocation, and financial aspects is crucial for the specialty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the professional activities of DB pediatricians.
- To analyze practice settings, time allocation, and financial considerations impacting DB pediatricians.
Main Methods:
- A 2006-2007 online survey was administered to 438 members of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
- The survey assessed sociodemographics, practice characteristics, coding/billing, and productivity pressures.
Main Results:
- Most respondents were board-certified (93%) and practiced full-time (73%), primarily in academic settings (67%).
- Patient care averaged 25 hours/week direct and 14.5 hours/week indirect. Multidisciplinary team involvement was low (42%).
- Identified deficits included billing/coding practices, awareness of productivity, and familiarity with benchmarks; salaries varied widely.
Conclusions:
- DB pediatricians practice nationwide in varied settings, dedicating substantial time to poorly reimbursed indirect patient care.
- Findings suggest a need for education for providers, institutions, and payers regarding practice realities and reimbursement.
- Addressing these issues can improve the sustainability and effectiveness of developmental-behavioral pediatric services.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
01:21Behavior Modification
Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...
01:27Introduction to Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...