What can we learn from pediatric urology certification logs?

OBJECTIVES: To use the billing logs submitted to obtain insight into the operative practice of pediatric urology. The American Board of Urology recently offered a certificate of special qualification in pediatric urology. As a part of the application process, the candidates for this certificate submitted billing logs.

METHODS: We reviewed the practice logs of practitioners applying for a certificate of added competence in pediatric urology in 2007 and 2008. The de-identified logs were grouped by case severity and type. In addition, the numbers of cases by a given practitioner were grouped by percentiles. We also analyzed the data for differences in experience, geography, and practice type.

RESULTS: A total of 230 logs from the first 2 years of applications were analyzed. The median number of cases was 505 annually, with the most common procedure being circumcision (55 annually), followed by orchiopexy (40 annually) and hernia repair (40 annually). Major procedures were rarer (eg, proximal hypospadias, 2 annually; pyeloplasty, 8 annually; nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy, 4 annually; and genital reconstruction, 1 annually).

CONCLUSIONS: In 2006 and 2007, the typical applicant for a subspeciality certificate in pediatric urology had a surgical practice that was primarily of penile and groin cases, with few major cases.