Dear Family,
Advanced Pediatrics offers a distinctive approach to medical care --- putting outcomes first. With that in mind, we work towards being a source of unbiased information, promoting close working relationships with families, and being as responsive as possible. As a family in the practice, you are quite familiar with our approach. In fact, you likely think it is the norm for pediatric practices. I can assure you, it is not.
This week the Archives of Internal Medicine, a leading publication of the AMA, published an article based on a national report on how best to practice medicine. A nationally recognized family practitioner at Brown University created three teams of five doctors each from around the country. The teams were pediatricians, internists, and family practitioners. I was honored to be chair of the pediatric group.
Each team was charged with identifying 5 recommendations, each of which would ask practicing doctors to stop doing something that helps no one and creates unnecessary costs. The team I led included pediatricians from Philadelphia to California and we worked with a research assistant to do careful literature reviews that could support our recommendations. Our recommendations were field tested with two national groups of practicing pediatricians who also embraced our proposed changes in practice.
Overall, the recommendations are an attempt to place practices on the firm basis of doing only what works and is necessary.
The outcome of our work led to these 5 recommendations being made to the nation's pediatricians:
- Do not prescribe antibiotics for a sore throat unless the patient tests positive for strep throat.
- Do not obtain X-ray or CT scans of the head for minor head injuries without loss of consciousness or other risk factors.
- Do not refer children with ear infections to ENT specialists early in the course of recurrences.
- Advise families not to use cough and cold medications for their children.
- Use inhaled steroids to manage asthma appropriately.
Advanced Pediatrics is pleased to have reached similar conclusions many years ago. Families in the practice should find the specific recommendations and the overall approach very familiar.
The publication of this article created a broad response in the country's media, including items run on PBS, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, Time, US News & World Report.
This project is a powerful instance of validation for our way of thinking and caring for families at Advanced Pediatrics. The process has led to a national organization of physicians, a working group of pediatricians, a designated medical researcher, and dozens of practicing pediatricians around the country endorsing our approach to the care of children.
Hopefully this report confirms that your choice of medical care for your children has been well-placed.
Thanks again for your trust, we look forward to continuing to find ways to improve the community's health.
Dr. Arthur Lavin
*Disclaimer* The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person's particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.
