Pediatricians in Arkansas

Arkansas

Pediatricians are physicians who specialize in treating children from birth through young adulthood. In addition to treating illnesses, they also monitor childhood development and provide vaccinations and other preventive care through wellness exams. Moreover, pediatricians can help educate families about positive parenting behaviors, which play an important role in children’s development. 

Demand for pediatricians is rising as the number of children living with chronic conditions in the United States increases. There is currently a shortage of pediatric specialists in the U.S., and the uneven geographical distribution of pediatricians and family physicians leaves many rural communities and other underserved areas with insufficient child health care options.

Populations of children with less access to pediatric care include: 

• Children living in rural areas compared with those in urban areas. 

• Children of racial and ethnic minorities compared with white children.
• Children who are uninsured compared with children who have health insurance.

To address the current shortcomings of the pediatric workforce, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: 

• Increasing the number of pediatric residency openings.
• Providing financial incentives like loan forgiveness programs and tax credits for pediatricians working in rural and underserved areas. 
• Fostering racial and ethnic diversity among pediatricians to promote cultural competence in health care. 

Remote telehealth options can increase access to pediatric care, particularly for children who experience health care barriers.

Healthy People 2030 identifies access to primary care as a key social determinant of health.

Curfman, Alison L., Jesse M. Hackell, Neil E. Herendeen, Joshua J. Alexander, James P. Marcin, William B. Moskowitz, Chelsea E. F. Bodnar, Harold K. Simon, and S. David McSwain. “Telehealth: Improving Access to and Quality of Pediatric Health Care.” Pediatrics 148, no. 3 (September 1, 2021): e2021053129. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053129.

Flores, Glenn. “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Health and Health Care of Children.” Pediatrics 125, no. 4 (April 1, 2010): e979–1020. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0188.

Flores, Glenn, Hua Lin, Candice Walker, Michael Lee, Janet M. Currie, Rick Allgeyer, Alberto Portillo, Monica Henry, Marco Fierro, and Kenneth Massey. “The Health and Healthcare Impact of Providing Insurance Coverage to Uninsured Children: A Prospective Observational Study.” BMC Public Health 17, no. 1 (December 2017): 553. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4363-z.

Hardin, Amy Peykoff, Jesse M. Hackell, Geoffrey R. Simon, Alexy Darlyn Arauz Boudreau, Cynthia N. Baker, Graham Arthur Barden, Kelley E. Meade, Scot Benton Moore, and Julia Richerson. “Age Limit of Pediatrics.” Pediatrics 140, no. 3 (September 1, 2017): e20172151. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-2151.

Ramesh, Tarun, and Hao Yu. “US Pediatric Primary Care Physician Workforce in Rural Areas, 2010 to 2020.” JAMA Network Open 6, no. 9 (September 13, 2023): e2333467. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33467.

Shah, Reshma, Sarah Kennedy, Maureen D. Clark, Sarah C. Bauer, and Alan Schwartz. “Primary Care-Based Interventions to Promote Positive Parenting Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis.” Pediatrics 137, no. 5 (May 1, 2016): e20153393–e20153393. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-3393.

Vinci, Robert J. “The Pediatric Workforce: Recent Data Trends, Questions, and Challenges for the Future.” Pediatrics 147, no. 6 (June 1, 2021): e2020013292.https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-013292.