[Telephone consultations with the pediatrician on-call]

Prospective registration of telephone consultations with the paediatrician-on-call during a period of four months was undertaken. Telephone records were made for this purpose and 256 consultations were registered. In 39% of these consultations, the contact was with a doctor who desired advice about a definite patient. In 36%, the persons making the contact were parents of children attending the paediatric outpatient clinic. 20% of the contacts were from parents of acutely ill children and were without connection with the paediatric department. In 37% of the consultations therapeutic advice was given. The paediatrician-on-call appears to have a function as an emergency telephonic consultant for the primary and secondary health sectors and as the doctor-on-call. Establishing of telephone records in paediatric departments is recommended.