Consultative pediatrics in the new millenium.

ABSTRACT

The pediatric hospitalist program at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP)-the Diagnostic Referral Service (DRS)-was first described in the pediatric literature in 1988. At that time, the group consisted of 5 members with a variety of inpatient and outpatient responsibilities. Since then, there has been a significant nationwide growth in pediatric hospital medicine. In the same time frame, the DRS has also grown significantly, with new and enhanced responsibilities in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. This work reflects on the recent trends in pediatrics that resulted in the growth of specialists in hospital medicine and in the evolution of the DRS responsibilities. A detailed description of the unique changes in the DRS is provided as a model for effective care of children in the modern era.