Telephone assessment of illness by practicing pediatricians.

Telephone assessment of illness by 40 practicing pediatricians was studied using simulated complaints of cough, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Of a possible 370 standardized questions based on the American Academy of Pediatrics "Guidelines for telephone communications," only 194 were used. Crucial questions such as difficulty breathing with cough, the state of hydration in diarrhea, the character of the eruption in rash, or the presence of abdominal pain with vomiting were asked less than 50% of the time. Pediatricians in practice for fewer than five years requested more information and spent more time on the telephone than did those with greater than five years' experience.