Preview - CHILD NEUROLOGY

Child neurology faces present and predicted workforce shortages as demand for services increases The field of child neurology has rapidly expanded since board certification was established in 1969. The Child Neurology Society (CNS) has grown from about 200 members in 1972 to more than 1400 today. But this growth in the profession has been overshadowed by the even more rapid expansion of basic and clinical knowledge in the neurosciences and in treatment strategies for children with neurological disorders. •In 1998,

a Workforce Task Force of the American Academy of Neurology reported a total of 1,080 active child neurologists, which translated into 819 full- time equivalent patient care child neurologists. Using the demographic supply model of the Bureau of Health Professions, the Task Force found that staffing was 20% below the demand for child neurology services, a shortage projected to remain unchanged through 2020. •The Task Force surmised that pediatricians and adult neurologists are meeting the demand for services, but the extent to which these specialties can and do substitute for child neurologists is unknown. The effects of the workforce shortage on the practice of child neurologists, particularly on referral patterns and waiting times for an appointment, are also unknown. •A declining number of physicians are entering the field of child neurology. According to data from the American Medical Association, the percentage of filled residency positions in child neurology decreased from 70% to 55% in the last decade. Although adult neurology and pediatric subspecialty programs also saw a downward trend, the proportion of filled residency slots in these fields remains high at 79% and 73% respectively. September 2003 Executive Summary Daniel Polsky, PhD, MPP Research Associate Professor of Medicine; Senior Fellow,...

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