Current Research
Evaluation of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Electronic Consultation Use in Primary Care
The use of e-consult has emerged as a useful tool for primary care providers (PCPs) to quickly obtain non-urgent, patient-specific, expert advice from specialists. The COVID-19 pandemic forced health systems to rapidly implement and scale telehealth alternatives to in-person care to prevent exposure to the contagious respiratory virus. A recent study from Massachusetts General Hospital…
Read MoreActualizing Better Health and Health Care for Older Adults: Health Affairs March Issue
In a focus on “age-friendly health”, Terry Fulmer et al note that our health care system is unprepared to care for its growing population of older adults, and that new approaches must be considered, including telehealth modalities offering education, such as e-consult. Dr. Fulmer joined us for our March 2021 E-Consult workgroup webinar. Recommendations Include:…
Read MoreScaling E-Consult Success
An observational cohort study published in the American Journal of Managed care examined administrative data of all veterans who received an e-consult across 41 specialties and 1269 VHA medical centers and clinical sites from 2012 to 2018. The authors found that the number of e-Consults increased by 309% for all specialties by 2018. It was found that…
Read MoreE-Consult: A Tool to Improve Patient Access and Outcomes for Racial Minorities and Underinsured
Researchers at Ohio State University performed a cross-sectional evaluation on all ambulatory dermatology referrals and eConsults over a 25-month period. The study reports that eConsults served more nonwhite patients and Medicaid enrollees compared to ambulatory referrals. Additionally, ambulatory referral patients were significantly less likely to attend their scheduled appointments compared with eConsult patients. Based on these results, the study…
Read MoreE-Consult: Safe and Equitable Coordination of Specialty Care
Michelle Lee, MD, and Vinod Nambudiri, MD of Partners Healthcare, MA, recently published, Electronic Consultations for Safe and Equitable Coordination of Virtual Outpatient Specialty Care. This article, published in the Journal of Applied Clinical Informatics, argues that eConsults can improve the transition of care between primary care and specialists. The authors cite previous clinical studies to highlight how eConsults can improve the relationship and communication between PCPs and specialists and improve PCP education, patient access…
Read MorePrimary Care Providers’ Perspective on eConsult
The Ontario eConsult Program has been a frequent feature of the E-Consult Workgroup with its longstanding success in provider engagement, cost savings and workflow process improvement. In a 2019 provider survey of 1,256 primary care providers (PCPs), summarized in the recent Telemedicine and E-Health article: 74% of PCPs agreed that eConsult improved their referral decision making 73% agreed…
Read MoreThe Vascular eConsult: Useful and Efficient
A study titled The Vascular eConsult: An Efficient, Useful, and Economical Tool for Primary Care Physicians to Interact With a Vascular Specialist, for Proper Care of the Vascular Patient by Ottawa researchers from the Ontario eConsult Program reviewed 846 cases that had been submitted for a vascular surgery e-consult between 2014 to 2016. Each case included mandatory…
Read MoreImproved access and outcomes with an academic medical center eConsult teledermatology program
E-Consults and telemedicine can result in improved access to specialty care for underserved patients. You can access the article here.
Read MoreE-Consult and Care Coordination Decisions During the Pandemic
Specialists’ use of virtual communications to deliver care instead of in-person recommendations increased during the pandemic.
Read MoreTelehealth as a Bright Spot of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations From the Virtual Frontlines (Ohio State University)
Ohio State University shares how e-consult was fast-tracked to support care during the pandemic. https://publichealth.jmir.org/2020/2/e19045/
Read MoreE-Consult and telehealth as a Bright Spot of the COVID-19 Pandemic
At the outset of the pandemic, telehealth went from under 5% of visits to almost 93%, maintaining high patient satisfaction. https://publichealth.jmir.org/2020/2/e19045/
Read MorePediatric dermatology e-consults reduce wait times and office visits
Pediatric dermatology e-consults reduce needs for face-to-face visits and offer potential costs savings for payers and patients. Access the article here.
Read MoreUtility, Appropriateness, and Content of E-Consults Across Medical Subspecialties
The study found high rates of appropriate e-consults across specialties, supporting that e-consults are efficient compared with in-person visits https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/full/10.7326/M19-3852
Read MoreTrends in Ambulatory Electronic Consultations During the COVID-19 Pandemic
E-Consults can replace some in-person specialty consultations, provides clinical guidance and reducing the risk of in-person visits to both patients and physicians. You can access the article here.
Read MoreOutcomes and Safety of Electronic Consult Use in Vascular Surgery
E-Consults provide a safe and effective means of triaging and providing recommendations for patients with vascular disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31611112/
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