• Jeff H Pike.
• Division of Physical and Medicine and Rehabilitation, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center, Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Site, Doahousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. jeffhpike@hotmail.com
• Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2003 Jul 1; 84 (7): 1039-42.

ObjectivesTo determine the incidence and nature of calls for on-call physicians after hours at a tertiary-level rehabilitation center.DesignProspective survey of on-call physicians during 1 year.SettingA tertiary-level rehabilitation center with 66 beds in Nova Scotia.ParticipantsResidents, clinical associates, and staff physicians covering calls.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresNumber of calls during 1 year, types of calls, medical issues dealt with, and time spent in center after hours dealing with calls.ResultsThe overall response rate by on-call physicians was 75%. In the 274 days for which surveys were returned, 467 calls were received. Of these calls, 53% were for medication orders, 36% for medical issues, 7% for procedures, and 5% for incidents.ConclusionsFor a 65-bed unit, on-call staff were called a median of once per night. The most common call was for medication orders. House staff were required to come in about once in every 9 calls (11%) and stayed less than 1 hour in most cases.

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