Emergency department on-call status for pediatric orthopaedics: a survey of the POSNA membership.

Abstract

The emergency room on-call status of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons is an important factor affecting their practices and lifestyles and was last evaluated in 2006. The entire membership of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) was surveyed in 2010 for information regarding their emergency room on-call status with 382 surveys returned of over 1000 e-mailed to members of POSNA. Detailed information about on-call coverage, support, and frequency was obtained in answers to 14 different questions. Compared with the prior survey in 2006, the 2010 survey indicated that a higher percentage of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons receive compensation for taking emergency room call; a higher percentage cover pediatric patients only when on-call; and accessibility to operating rooms in a timely manner for trauma cases, although limited, has improved for pediatric patients. Utilization of support staff to meet on-call trauma coverage demands, such as residents, physician's assistants, and nurse practitioners, is becoming more common. Concentration of pediatric orthopaedic trauma has increased the coverage demands on pediatric orthopaedists. This has resulted in a change in reimbursement strategies, and allocation of OR time and hospital staffing resources.