Lessons learned include anticipating challenges with PCP expectations, workflow changes, and health IT adoption challenges. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2678459
E-consults improved access to and timeliness of care for an underserved population, reduced overall specialty utilization, and streamlined specialty referrals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1357633X18774468
Educating PCPs and standardizing e-consult templates may help reduce the number of unanswered e-consults. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1357633X18774468
E-consult is a viable and timely way for PCPs to get much-needed psychiatric advice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5910533/
Canadian program demonstrates potential of e-consult to affect wait times for specialty care when integrated into existing referral workflows. https://www.annfammed.org/content/16/2/120.full
Clinicians at sites with high use of e-consults noted that they improved workflow efficiency. https://econsulttoolkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/HealthAffairs_2018.pdf
E-consults impact total cost savings reducing the cost of cardiac outpatient procedures. https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-costeffectiveness-analysis-of-cardiology-econsults-for-medicaid-patients
Presentation of e-consult effectiveness and cost savings to California Medicaid.
E-referrals can improve access to care, clarity of questions, and improved PCP satisfaction. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213076415300865?via%3Dihub
E-consult systems are a promising and sustainable intervention that could improve access to specialist care for underserved patients. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1283
A Santa Clara FQHC and public hospital share their collaborative e-consult program.
An Alameda County FQHC and public hospital collaborate to improve their e-consult and referral processes.
E-consult implementers should consider educational benefits, specialty provider selection, platform and workflow design. https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/Fulltext/2017/01000/Unique_Educational_Opportunities_for_PCPs_and.19.aspx
E-consult demonstrated provider notification of patient recommendations 63% of the time and nursing staff patient notification 37% of the time. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5354179/
Primary and specialty care providers reported usability but expressed concern about e-consult workload. https://medinform.jmir.org/2016/1/e6/