Introduction
The Pediatrics department has created an educational environment with the goal to allow residents to gain the fundamental knowledge and expertise to become the best pediatricians
possible. This is achieved by broad-based training with exposure to a wide variety of general and subspecialty problems in children, stressing the importance of patient involvement and ownership.
The goal of the continuity clinic is for each resident to experience the continual care of patients throughout the three year training period in an ambulatory clinic setting. After-hours TELEPHONE CARE is an increasing component of pediatric practice. Hence, to further enhance the continuity care of the patients, we have implemented the clinic after-hours on call system, to be answered by the residents, which will add to their experience in telecare.
Some Useful Tips
The number to the after-hour phone service is 1-800353-7102 ,1-877-633-3663 or 212-939-8400. The account number for the department of pediatrics is 710201.
Residents will take call during the block clinic months. The time will be equally distributed between the residents in clinic each month.
Residents will be assigned as first-call. There will always be an attending assigned to back-up call to answer questions and provide assistance.
Residents should make sure parents are aware of the after-hours phone service and encourage parents to call the service rather than go directly to the ER. Kindly utilize every opportunity to distribute your business cards, which has the after-hours phone numbers on the back .
Please return call in a timely manner, no later than 20 minutes.
For security reasons and for legal purposes, please ask to be connected with the patient through the answering service.
If you need language assistance, it can be provided through the answering service.
Please obtain the MR number, name & DOB of the patient and the name of their primary doctor, and document the event as an “other contact note” in the electronic medical record the following business day.
For any further assistance/ clarification of phone questions, please call the attending that is on-call with you.
Residents should notify the PMD of the patient who called, to inform them about the problem.
Meet with the attending on-call once to twice a week to discuss the clinical situation and the
advice given for each call for educational purposes.
For guidance the Barton Schmidt’s Pediatric telephone Triage book can be borrowed from the resident library while on phone call (Please check the book out with the Chief Resident).
Based on the clinical situations, the disposition could be to the ER, clinic the following day or basic home instructions like hydration / Tylenol dosing or reassurance.
Residents can travel when on call for the clinic, however, it is the responsibility of the resident to inform the answering service to contact their cell phone instead of pager.
Goals & Objectives:
This experience will train the residents in the following ACGME recommended core competencies
- Medical Knowledge-
To differentiate between clinical conditions which requires urgent care and recognizing symptoms of common illnesses, and to direct the patient accordingly either to the Emergency room or the clinic the following day. Also, to counsel the parent if situation demands.
- Patient care
The comprehensive care provided in the continuity clinic should be extended to the after hours. In some situations parents might need only guidance to dosing of medications or counseling and reassurance.
- Interpersonal and Communication skills
Demonstrate skills that result in information exchange, with professional colleagues, working as a team and with patients and their families.
- Professionalism
Reliability and responsibility to patients and their families, as well as physicians and medical staff by working together and communicating effectively in order to provide the best patient care.
