The Pediatrician's Role in Community Pediatrics

This policy statement offers pediatricians a concise definition of community pediatrics and provides a set of specific recommendations that underscore the critical nature of this important dimension of the profession.

Today's children and families live in a period of rapid social change. The economic organization of the health care and social service systems in the United States is undergoing profound changes. Pediatric training programs are searching for the optimal blend of knowledge, skill, and experience to prepare tomorrow's pediatricians for the new challenges and morbidities they will face. 1–3 As clinicians and educators encounter new demands on their commitments and resources, it is important to reaffirm a vital and long-standing role of pediatricians: promoting the health and well-being of all children in the communities they serve.