1 Chairman, Committee on Hospital Care, Phoenix Childrens Hospital, 1117 E Willetta St, Phoenix, AZ 85006
In Reply.
Dr. Scanlon's remarks are timely and appropriate. There are no easy answers to the dilemmas Dr Scanlon raises. Indeed, neonatologists commonly are available on an around-the-clock basis in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This availability may well be one significant factor responsible for the decrease in neonatal mortality rates seen in recent years.
The Committee on Hospital Care (COHC) of the American Academy of Pediatrics has observed in its statement that "the neonatologist is much more available to the newborn than is the private pediatrician."