There is much less hospitalist penetration on the pediatrics side than the adult side. I also think that although urgent cares abound urgent cares that aren't specifically geared to really seeing kids (and may use providers who have very little experience identifying and taking care of sick children) have the potential to miss significant things. Many pediatricians still have a mixed inpatient/outpatient practice along with a mix of preventive care/chronic health management/ acute illness management. My husband currently works in a practice where he admits all of his own patients to his service (many of whom present for admission through his office) pretty much year round (unless we are out of town). He and two other pediatricians share hospital call (where they cover ED consults/pediatric stabilization prior to admission, unassigned admissions, and delivery attendance/nursery coverage). He is admitting at a hospital without subspecialty coverage so intubations, CVLs, and other procedures are done by him or not done. He does any necessary delivery room stabilization/resuscitation. Babies who need a true NICU level of care are transferred to either the level 2 NICU about 2 hours away or the level 3 NICU about 3 hours away depending on their higher care needs.
