Office laboratory procedures, office economics, patient and parent education, and urinary tract infection

This review updates our readers on four important areas of office practice: office laboratory procedures, office economics, patient and parent education, and urinary tract infection. Michael Aldous reviews the recent literature on office laboratory procedures, which includes a report on the ongoing heated discussion of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, an update of recent studies on new and better rapid streptococcal tests, and improved methods for urinalysis. Rickey Williams provides a report on office economics that includes a discussion of the effects of capitation, how preventive care can be cost effective, and the future prospects for greatly expanded office computerization. Burris Duncan discusses patient and parent education with an in-depth review of the potential economic value of a full implementation of the American Academy of Pediatrics' The Injury Prevention Program, and in addition he chronicles the rapid growth and development of school-based health centers. John Ey reviews the recent literature on urinary tract infections in children, including how we can make the diagnosis, methods for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections, the most effective studies for evaluating the urinary system, and what follow-up is necessary. We hope this review will provide the pediatrician with important information to help in the care of their patients.