I was wondering if someone could be kind enough to explain how being on call works in family practice....who takes the calls when the patients are far away or when you're in clinic etc. I guess I don't understand the basis of why there is call in family practice. Also, is this the difficulty in being able to start your own practice or is it the low HMO payment that you need to join a group?

thanx:D

"whatever doc was the on call doc was the one who saw all hospital patients in the evening and on weekends. "

can you explain this in more detail plz? is this what a hospitalist would do?

Also, are you getting paid anything extra besides the office visits for being on call?? So I'm guessing this is why FP doctors cannot have their own practice like in the old days...


are specialists required to be reachable 24/7 as well?

bump