Clinical Trends Over the First Year of a Psychiatric Electronic Consult Service

This study aims to determine which psychiatric diagnoses are most commonly used for e-consults  inquiries, what types of questions are being asked by primary care providers to psychiatrists via e-consults, and what questions and which diagnoses result in a recommendation for in-person evaluations by psychiatrists. The study found that certain diagnoses and question types appear to influence the likelihood that a psychiatrist who has been engaged through an e-consult will recommend a face-to-face evaluation. It also suggests that e-consult services can be particularly helpful for certain diagnoses like depression and anxiety, as well as certain question types, particularly around medication management. This information can inform PCPs and psychiatrists about which patients are best suited for an e-consult versus an in-person referral.