Physicians’ experiences and beliefs regarding informal consultation

CONTEXT: Efforts to control medical expenses by emphasizing primary care and limiting specialty care may influence how physicians use informal or "curbside" consultation.  OBJECTIVE: To understand physicians' use of and beliefs about informal consultation.  DESIGN: Survey mailed in July 1997.  PARTICIPANTS: Of a random sample of Massachusetts general internists, pediatricians, cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons (n=300 each), and infectious disease specialists (n=200) surveyed, 1225 were eligible and 705 (58%) responded.  MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported use of and beliefs about informal consultation.  RESULTS: Generalist physicians requested more informal consultations than specialists (median, 3 vs 1 per week; P