Online resources

This is the sixth article focusing on important medical specialties. Each article offers insight into the types of practice settings for the physicians, their training, residency requirements, and the defining features of the specialty. This series aims to help sales reps to expand their knowledge and understanding of their customers in order to build stronger business relationships. Use this tool during business planning, call strategy and physician interaction.

Now let's take a closer look at the practice of neurology, the medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system, the most complex part of the body.

Physician profile

A neurologist is a specialist in neurology, the area of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, these include disorders of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems. Neurologists also treat patients with certain types of muscle disorders and pain problems, especially headache.

The nervous system is the most complex part of the body in that it controls all of its functions, including speech, movement, learning, memory, the senses, breathing and swallowing. There are more than 600 known neurological disorders which encompass a broad range of diseases and conditions. Common disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and autism are well known. Many other neurological disorders are rare and known only to the affected patients and families, their doctors and other specialists. Neurological disorders strike an estimated 50 million Americans each year, which equates to an annual economic cost of hundreds of billions of dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity. These figures are expected to escalate due to the aging population—older individuals frequently are at higher risk for various types of degenerative neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Most neurological disorders require frequent, ongoing care and, therefore, neurologists serve as the principal physician for these patients, evaluating them through a variety of diagnostic methods and then providing appropriate treatments. Neurologists often serve as consultants to PCPs and advise them as to how to manage the overall health of a neurologic patient after the diagnosis is made. Some neurologists may develop an interest and work closely in particular subfields, such as dementia, movement disorders, headaches, epilepsy, sleep disorders, chronic pain management, multiple sclerosis or other neuromuscular diseases.

Practice characteristics

A majority of neurologists in the United States have practices located in urban areas. There are approximately 13,500 practicing neurologists, with 72% classified as adult neurologists and only about 10% as child neurologists. Nearly 90% are in clinical practice, but about half are involved in clinical research. The majority of neurologists in clinical practice are men (about 78%) with a mean age of approximately 50 years. A large majority of neurologists practice in either a group, solo or university-based group setting. Neurologists, on average, work 56 hours a week but recent trends show that they are spending increased time on administrative activities, performing more procedures as well as seeing more patients.

The schedule of neurologists that provide both primary care and consultation services are in many ways similar to those of general internists. Their day typically begins with morning rounds at the hospital, followed by seeing scheduled patients in a practice setting. Their typical caseload includes about 25 new patients every week, and an even greater number of follow-up patients.

More in the series

Due to the complex nature of neurological disorders, the neurologist may work closely with many other healthcare professionals to provide patient care. Members of this team may include a neurosurgeon, internist, psychiatrist, radiologist and neuropsychologist.