Related Experiment Videos
Child health care in changing times
L K Leslie1, R Sarah, J S Palfrey
1Children's Hospital, San Diego, USA.
Insights
The practice of pediatrics is rapidly changing due to evolving child health care financing and organization. Pediatric professionals must adapt training and practice models to meet children's changing health needs and future demands.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Health Services Research
- Medical Education
Background:
- Child health care is undergoing rapid transformation driven by changes in financing and organization.
- Evolving disease patterns, new technologies, and shifting demographics impact children's health needs.
- Managed care and legislative initiatives are key catalysts for these changes in health services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize recent changes in child health care services and evolving child health needs.
- To address the implications of these changes for pediatric training.
- To discuss initiatives aimed at developing guidelines for 21st-century pediatric practice and training.
Main Methods:
- Review of current trends in health care financing and organization.
- Analysis of evolving pediatric health care needs and disease patterns.
- Examination of existing and proposed initiatives for pediatric training and practice development.
Main Results:
- Significant shifts in health care delivery models impacting pediatric practice.
- Increasingly complex health needs of children requiring adaptive care strategies.
- Proactive response needed from the pediatric community to guide future practice and training.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric training and practice models must evolve to address current and future child health care landscapes.
- The pediatric community is actively developing guidelines to prepare pediatricians for the 21st century.
- Adapting to changes in health care financing and organization is crucial for effective child health care delivery.
Abstract:
Unprecedented transformations in the financing and organization of child health care are driving change in the practice of pediatrics at a remarkably fast pace. The health care needs of children also are evolving, reflecting changing disease patterns, new technologies, and shifting socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of children and families. Changes in the financing and organization of child health services catalyzed by managed care and legislative initiatives need to be responded to proactively by the pediatric community. Yet, the anticipated health care needs of children also must be addressed as models for both pediatric training and practice in the future are developed. This article summarizes briefly these changes in health care services and in child health needs, addresses training implications, and discusses several initiatives the pediatric community is undertaking to develop guidelines for training pediatricians for the 21st century.