Resources, use, and regionalization of pediatric cardiac services.

Care for children with congenital heart disease requires specialized services and various healthcare resources. The purpose of this article is to provide an updated overview of healthcare resources for infants and children with heart disease. In 2001, there were 1609 certified pediatric cardiologists in the United States. The ratio was approximately 45,000 children younger than 18 years per pediatric cardiologist. It is estimated that more than 19,000 cardiac surgeries are performed in children younger than 18 years in the United States each year. This article also reviews the effect of patient characteristics on access to healthcare and use of pediatric cardiac services, and discusses issues related to optimal use of these resources and the development of an organized approach toward service management by regionalization. The authors believe that improved access to high-quality facilities and providers coupled with thoughtful changes in the healthcare delivery system represent an excellent opportunity for optimizing outcomes for children with heart disease.