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Sánchez-Machín I, Poza-Guedes P, Mederos-Luis E, González-Pérez R. The paradigm shift in allergy consultations through a digital ecosystem. Front Digit Health 2024; 6:1402810. [PMID: 38725446 PMCID: PMC11079116 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2024.1402810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In Spain, specialist outpatient care traditionally relied on in-person consultations at public hospitals, leading to long wait times and limited clinical analysis in appointment assignments. However, the emergence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has transformed patient care, creating a seamless healthcare ecosystem. At the Allergy Department, we aimed to share our experience in transitioning form a traditional linear model of patient flow across different healthcare levels to the implementation of a digital ecosystem. By telemedicine, we can prioritize individuals based on clinical relevance, promptly and efficiently addressing potentially life-threatening conditions such as severe uncontrolled asthma or hymenoptera venom anaphylaxis. Furthermore, our adoption of telephone consultations has markedly reduced the need for in-person hospital visits, while issues with unstable patients are swiftly addressed via WhatsApp. This innovative approach not only enhances efficiency but also facilitates the dissemination of personalized medical information through various channels, contributing to public awareness and education, particularly regarding allergies. Concerns related to confidentiality, data privacy, and the necessity for informed consent must thoroughly be addressed. Also, to ensure the success of ICT integration, it is imperative to focus on the quality of educational information, its efficient dissemination, and anticipate potential unforeseen consequences. Sharing experiences across diverse health frameworks and medical specialties becomes crucial in refining these processes, drawing insights from the collective experiences of others. This collaborative effort aims to contribute to the ongoing development of a more effective and sustainable healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paloma Poza-Guedes
- Allergy Department, Canary Islands University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Severe Asthma Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Elena Mederos-Luis
- Allergy Department, Canary Islands University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Ruperto González-Pérez
- Allergy Department, Canary Islands University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Severe Asthma Unit, Canary Islands University Hospital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
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Wang T, Giunti G, Goossens R, Melles M. Timing, Indicators, and Approaches to Digital Patient Experience Evaluation: Umbrella Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e46308. [PMID: 38315545 PMCID: PMC10877490 DOI: 10.2196/46308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increasing prevalence of DH applications has outpaced research and practice in digital health (DH) evaluations. Patient experience (PEx) was reported as one of the challenges facing the health system by the World Health Organization. To generate evidence on DH and promote the appropriate integration and use of technologies, a standard evaluation of PEx in DH is required. OBJECTIVE This study aims to systematically identify evaluation timing considerations (ie, when to measure), evaluation indicators (ie, what to measure), and evaluation approaches (ie, how to measure) with regard to digital PEx. The overall aim of this study is to generate an evaluation guide for further improving digital PEx evaluation. METHODS This is a 2-phase study parallel to our previous study. In phase 1, literature reviews related to PEx in DH were systematically searched from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Two independent raters conducted 2 rounds of paper screening, including title and abstract screening and full-text screening, and assessed the interrater reliability for 20% (round 1: 23/115 and round 2: 12/58) random samples using the Fleiss-Cohen coefficient (round 1: k1=0.88 and round 2: k2=0.80). When reaching interrater reliability (k>0.60), TW conducted the rest of the screening process, leaving any uncertainties for group discussions. Overall, 38% (45/119) of the articles were considered eligible for further thematic analysis. In phase 2, to check if there were any meaningful novel insights that would change our conclusions, we performed an updated literature search in which we collected 294 newly published reviews, of which 102 (34.7%) were identified as eligible articles. We considered them to have no important changes to our original results on the research objectives. Therefore, they were not integrated into the synthesis of this review and were used as supplementary materials. RESULTS Our review highlights 5 typical evaluation objectives that serve 5 stakeholder groups separately. We identified a set of key evaluation timing considerations and classified them into 3 categories: intervention maturity stages, timing of the evaluation, and timing of data collection. Information on evaluation indicators of digital PEx was identified and summarized into 3 categories (intervention outputs, patient outcomes, and health care system impact), 9 themes, and 22 subthemes. A set of evaluation theories, common study designs, data collection methods and instruments, and data analysis approaches was captured, which can be used or adapted to evaluate digital PEx. CONCLUSIONS Our findings enabled us to generate an evaluation guide to help DH intervention researchers, designers, developers, and program evaluators evaluate digital PEx. Finally, we propose 6 directions for encouraging further digital PEx evaluation research and practice to address the challenge of poor PEx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Department of Human-Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Guido Giunti
- Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Clinical Medicine Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Richard Goossens
- Department of Human-Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Marijke Melles
- Department of Human-Centered Design, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
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Valverde-López F, Librero-Jiménez M, Fernández-García R, Vezza T, Heredia-Carrasco C, López de Hierro Ruiz M, Galvez J, Jiménez-Rosales R, Redondo-Cerezo E. Impact of an Evidence-Based Prioritization System and Electronic Consultation in Early Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:194. [PMID: 38255082 PMCID: PMC10815471 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer. Timely diagnosis is critical, with even minor delays impacting prognosis. Primary care providers face obstacles in accessing specialist care. This study investigates the impact of implementing an electronic consultation (eConsult) system combined with a specific prioritization system on CRC diagnosis delay and tumor staging. (2) Methods: The study analyzes 245 CRC patients from November 2019 to February 2022, comparing those referred before and after the eConsult system's implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on referral reasons, pathways, diagnosis delays, and staging were collected. Multivariate analysis aimed to identify independent risk factors for advanced staging at diagnosis. (3) Results: The eConsult system significantly reduced CRC diagnosis delay from 68 to 26 days. The majority of patients referred via eConsult presented with symptoms. Despite expedited diagnoses, no discernible difference in CRC staging emerged between eConsult and traditional referrals. Notably, patients from screening programs or with a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) experienced earlier-stage diagnoses. A positive FIT without symptoms and being a never-smoker emerged as protective factors against advanced-stage CRC. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights eConsult's role in reducing CRC diagnosis delay, improving diagnostic efficiency and prioritizing urgent cases, emphasizing FIT effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Valverde-López
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Department of Medicine, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Librero-Jiménez
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital de Motril, 18600 Granada, Spain
| | - Raúl Fernández-García
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
| | - Teresa Vezza
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
| | - Clara Heredia-Carrasco
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
| | - Mercedes López de Hierro Ruiz
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
| | - Julio Galvez
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Department of Medicine, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Rita Jiménez-Rosales
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Department of Medicine, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Eduardo Redondo-Cerezo
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, Spain; (F.V.-L.); (M.L.-J.); (R.F.-G.); (T.V.); (C.H.-C.); (M.L.d.H.R.); (E.R.-C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Department of Medicine, Universidad de Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
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Culmer N, Smith TB, Stager C, Wright A, Fickel A, Tan J, Clark C(T, Meyer H, Grimm K. Asynchronous Telemedicine: A Systematic Literature Review. TELEMEDICINE REPORTS 2023; 4:366-386. [PMID: 38143795 PMCID: PMC10739789 DOI: 10.1089/tmr.2023.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Background Asynchronous telemedicine (ATM), which describes telemedical interaction between a patient and provider where neither party communicates simultaneously, is an important telemedicine modality that is seeing increased use. In this article, we summarize the published peer-reviewed literature specifically related to ATM to (1) identify terms or phrases that are used to describe ATM, (2) ascertain how this research has thus far addressed the various aspects of the quadruple aim of medicine, and (3) assess the methodological rigor of research on ATM. We also divided the literature into pre- and post-COVID-19 onset periods to identify potential variations in the literature between these two periods. Methods This systematic literature review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The literature search, utilizing multiple databases and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, initially produced 2624 abstracts for review. De-duplication and screening ultimately yielded 104 articles for data extraction. Results "Store-and-forward" and variations of "e-visit" were the most frequently used alternative terms for ATM. Care quality was the most frequently addressed aspect of the Quadruple Aim of Medicine-more than double any other category-followed by patient satisfaction. We separated cost of care into two categories: patients' cost of care and providers' cost to provide care. Patient cost of care was the third most addressed aspect of the Quadruple Aim of Medicine followed by provider well-being and provider's cost to provide care. Methodological rigor of the studies was also addressed, with only 2 quantitative studies ranked "Strong," 5 ranked "Moderate," and 97 ranked "Weak." Qualitative studies were generally acceptable but struggled methodologically with accounting for all participants and articulation of results. Conclusions Although "store-and-forward" is somewhat more frequently used in the studies included in this review, variants of "e-visit," are growing in recent usage. Given the relative newness of modality, it is not surprising that quality of care is the most researched aspect of the Quadruple Aim of Medicine in ATM research. We anticipate more balance between these areas as research in this field matures. Primary areas of research need currently relate to practitioners-specifically their costs of providing care and well-being. Finally, future ATM research needs to address research challenges of selection bias and blinding in quantitative studies and improved participant tracking and articulation of both study design and results in qualitative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Culmer
- College of Community Health Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Todd Brenton Smith
- Capstone College of Nursing, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Catanya Stager
- College of Community Health Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Andrea Wright
- College of Community Health Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Jet Tan
- The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Hannah Meyer
- The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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Sethuram C, Brown W, Gill G, Liddy C, Afkham A, Keely E. Improving Access to Osteoporosis Specialists Using Electronic Consultations. Endocr Pract 2023; 29:955-959. [PMID: 37722596 DOI: 10.1016/j.eprac.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the types of osteoporosis-related questions being asked by primary care providers (PCPs) and describe the impact of the advice provided by osteoporosis specialists using eConsult. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of osteoporosis-related eConsults submitted to endocrinologists between January 2018 and December 2020 on the Champlain eConsult BASE™ Service in Ontario, Canada. Each eConsult was coded according to clinical question and answer type through consensus between 2 authors, based on predetermined taxonomies. We analyzed eConsult utilization data, including response times, PCP satisfaction, and referral outcomes (collected via PCP surveys). RESULTS Of the 2,528 eConsults sent to endocrinologists during the study period, 408 (16%) were specific to osteoporosis. The most common questions asked by PCPs were regarding whether or not to start treatment (35%), the initial therapy choice (25%), and how often to complete bone mineral density scans (15%). The most common responses from specialists included recommendations for bone mineral density scanning (34%), recommendation to start therapy (24%), and recommendation to treat using a bisphosphonate without the dose specified (23%). The median response interval was 3.1 days. Most cases (84%) were resolved without requiring an in-person referral. Clear advice for a new course of action for PCPs to implement was provided in 54% of cases. CONCLUSION Osteoporosis eConsults provide timely access to valuable specialist advice while avoiding unnecessary face-to-face clinic visits. We identified commonly recurring osteoporosis questions asked by PCPs, which can be used to inform planning of future continuing professional development events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Sethuram
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Warren Brown
- Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gurleen Gill
- Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amir Afkham
- Ontario Health East, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Gellatly ZS, Lagha IB, Ternov NK, Berry E, Nelson KC, Seiverling EV. The Role of Dermoscopy in Provider-to-Provider Store-and-Forward Dermatology eConsults: A Scoping Review of the Recent Literature. CURRENT DERMATOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 12:169-179. [PMID: 38390375 PMCID: PMC10883069 DOI: 10.1007/s13671-023-00407-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Purpose of Review This scoping review maps recent literature on dermatology provider-to-provider asynchronous store-and-forward (SAF) electronic consult (eConsult) platforms with dermoscopy. It offers a descriptive overview, highlighting benefits and challenges. Recent Findings Incorporating dermoscopy into SAF eConsults improves diagnostic accuracy for benign and malignant skin neoplasms. Diagnostic and treatment concordance with traditional face-to-face (FTF) visits is high. SAF eConsults with dermoscopy enhance access to dermatological care by improving triage and reducing wait times for FTF visits. Pediatric patients benefit with improved evaluation of melanocytic and vascular growths. eConsult platforms with dermoscopy serve as a telementoring opportunity for clinicians interested in improving their dermoscopy skills. Summary Adding dermoscopy to SAF eConsults is valuable and results in improved diagnostic accuracy and reduced need for FTF visits. Implementation barriers can be overcome through collaboration between primary care and dermatology. Dermoscopy in SAF eConsults has significant potential for managing skin conditions and reducing the burden caused by unnecessary FTF visit and biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Imene B Lagha
- Tufts Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, Boston, MA 02116, USA
| | - Niels Kvorning Ternov
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Herley and Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, Demark
| | - Elizabeth Berry
- OHSU Department of Dermatology Center for Health and Healing, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kelly C Nelson
- The University of Texas, Department of Dermatology, Division of Internal Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Doering JJ, Wichman CL, Laszewski A, Kuehn S, Ke W. Perinatal psychiatric practitioner consultation program delivers rapid response to OB/GYN practitioners. Birth 2023; 50:764-772. [PMID: 36939290 DOI: 10.1111/birt.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Screening and treatment initiation for perinatal psychiatric conditions is a recommended competency in OB/GYN practitioners, yet perinatal psychiatry is rapidly evolving. Practitioner-to-psychiatrist consultation programs have the potential to improve the management of psychiatric conditions in perinatal women. This study describes utilization of a statewide perinatal psychiatric consultation service by OB/GYN practitioners through examination of the volume, responsivity, content and outcomes of clinical inquiries, and satisfaction. METHODS This quality improvement study describes the 460 telephone or e-mail consultations requested by OB/GYN practitioners over 2 years and housed within a REDCap database. Data include the characteristics of consult users, month-over-month and total utilization, the patient's perinatal status, the reason for contact, current symptoms and medications, and the consulting psychiatrist recommendations. Practitioner satisfaction with consultation is also described. RESULTS After completion of triage, the psychiatrist returned the practitioner's call ≤5 min in 59% of consultations. The most common inquiries were for pregnant (64%) women for depressive (51%) or anxiety (46%) symptoms with 47% of inquiries reporting the patient was currently taking a psychiatric medication. Had consultation not been available, referral to mental health (41%) or starting a medication (15%) were most often reported. CONCLUSIONS This perinatal psychiatric consultation service rapidly and effectively met the needs of practitioners practicing in OB/GYN settings across a state having a critical psychiatry shortage and varying urban and rural geography. Future recommendations include the assessment of direct patient outcomes, practitioner skill attainment, and long-term cost savings of this perinatal psychiatric consultation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Doering
- College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Christina L Wichman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Audrey Laszewski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Shelby Kuehn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Weiming Ke
- College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Bohnhoff JC, Guyon-Harris K, Schweiberger K, Ray KN. General and subspecialist pediatrician perspectives on barriers and strategies for referral: a latent profile analysis. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:576. [PMID: 37980515 PMCID: PMC10656818 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-04400-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children in need of pediatric subspecialty care may encounter multiple barriers, and multiple strategies have been suggested to improve access. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of general and subspecialty pediatric physicians regarding barriers to subspecialty care and the value of strategies to improve subspecialty access. METHODS We surveyed a national sample of 1680 general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists in May and June 2020 regarding 11 barriers to subspecialty care and 9 strategies to improve access to subspecialty care, selected from recent literature. Using latent profile analysis, respondents were grouped according to the degree to which they believed each of the barriers impacted access to subspecialty care. Using chi-squared tests, we compared the profiles based on respondent characteristics and perspectives on strategies to improve access. RESULTS The response rate was 17%. In 263 responses completed and eligible for inclusion, the barriers most frequently described as "major problems" were wait times (57%), lack of subspecialists (45%) and difficulty scheduling (41%). Respondents were classified into 4 profiles: "Broad concerns," "Subspecialist availability concerns," "Clinician communication concerns," and "Few concerns." These profiles varied significantly by respondent specialty (p < .001, with medical subspecialists overrepresented in the "Clinician communication" profile, psychiatrists in the "subspecialist availability" profile, and surgeons in the "few concerns" profile); and by respondents' typical wait time for appointments (p < .001, with physicians with the longest wait times overrepresented in the "subspecialist availability" profile). CONCLUSIONS We found specific profiles in clinician views regarding barriers to subspecialty care which were associated with perspectives on strategies aimed at overcoming these barriers. These results suggest that health systems aiming to improve subspecialty access should first identify the barriers and preferences specific to local clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Bohnhoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Maine Health, 1577 Congress St Fl 1, Portland, ME, 04102, USA.
- Center for Interdisciplinary Population and Health Research, Maine Health Institute of Research, Scarborough, ME, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Katherine Guyon-Harris
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelsey Schweiberger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kristin N Ray
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Keely E, Guglani S, Mitchell E, Sethuram C, Afkham A, Liddy C. Specialists accessing specialty advice: Evaluating utilization, benefits, and impact of care of an e-consultation service. J Telemed Telecare 2023:1357633X231211352. [PMID: 37936407 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x231211352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The usual referral pathway is from a primary care provider (PCP) to a specialist; however, specialists also refer to and consult with other specialists. Electronic consultation (eConsult) allows clinicians to submit questions on behalf of patients to specialists to receive timely advice. Most eConsult studies in the past have examined questions asked from PCPs to specialists. This study investigates the utilization of specialists submitting clinical questions to other specialists through the Ontario eConsult Service and identifies use-case scenarios where specialist-to-specialist eConsult may be beneficial. METHODS A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional analysis of eConsults submitted by specialists through the Ontario eConsult Service for 24 months (March 2019 to February 2021). Utilization data is collected automatically by the service, including specialty referred to, time billed, region, and results from a closeout survey which includes the referral outcome of the eConsult and the utility to the submitting clinician. RESULTS 4% (n = 3285) of all eConsults sent within the study period were specialist-to-specialist, with the others being sent by a PCP. The number of specialist-to-specialist eConsults grew 120% following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The top three specialties that submitted eConsults were pediatrics, internal medicine, and endocrinology. The top three specialties that specialists submitted to were dermatology, neurology, and hematology. A face-to-face referral was avoided in 69% of referrals. CONCLUSION Evaluating the utilization patterns of specialist-to-specialist eConsults allows us to better understand and expand the scope of eConsult services, which have traditionally been thought of as a workflow between a PCP and a specialist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Keely
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sheena Guglani
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- C.T. Lamont Primary Healthcare Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erik Mitchell
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claire Sethuram
- C.T. Lamont Primary Healthcare Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amir Afkham
- Ontario Health East, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- C.T. Lamont Primary Healthcare Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Hägglund M, Ekwall AK, Davoody N, Farrokhnia N. Escape to the future - a qualitative study of physicians' views on the work environment, education, and support in a digital context. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2023; 23:231. [PMID: 37858147 PMCID: PMC10588019 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-023-02337-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of remote services such as video consultations (VCs) has increased significantly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Sweden, private healthcare providers offering VCs have grown substantially since 2016 and have been controversial. Few studies have focused on physicians' experiences providing care in this context. Our aim was to study physicians' experiences of VCs, focusing on the work environment, quality of care, and educational needs. METHODS Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were performed with physicians working with VCs in Sweden, and analyzed through inductive content analysis. RESULTS We identified five categories; flexibility, social work environment, impact on care and society, continuous learning and career development, and organizational support. Flexibility and accessibility were considered positive features of working digitally by giving physicians control over their time and workplace and increasing patients' timely access to healthcare. Regarding collegial contact and social activities in a digital context, the majority of the participants did not experience any significant difference compared to the physical context. Access to technical support services, educational support, and collegial support in decision-making, guidance, and consultations were described as well-functioning. Satisfied patients positively impacted the work environment, and participants felt that VCs have a positive socio-economic effect. Continuity of care was considered supported, but patients did not always prioritize this. Privacy risks were considered a challenge, as were poor development of clinical skills due to the low variation of patient cases. Working for an online healthcare provider was contributing to career advancements for junior clinicians. CONCLUSIONS Physicians appreciate the flexibility of the digital context and seem satisfied with a work environment where they have a high level of control, but few consider this a full-time career option. The pandemic year 2020 has led to a significant increase in the implementation of VCs in traditional care systems. How this affects the work environment and continuous education needs and career development remains to be seen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Hägglund
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, Uppsala, 752 37, Sweden.
- Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Health Informatics Center, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management, and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | | | - Nadia Davoody
- Health Informatics Center, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management, and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nasim Farrokhnia
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Walter G, Jeimy S, Liddy C, Guglani S, Ellis AK, Blair A, Kobayaa H, Chad Z, Keely E. Utility of eConsults for COVID-19 vaccine-related concerns in Ontario: a cross-sectional analysis. ALLERGY, ASTHMA, AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 19:38. [PMID: 37143148 PMCID: PMC10158700 DOI: 10.1186/s13223-023-00789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Champlain BASE™ and Ontario eConsult services are virtual platforms that serve to facilitate contact between primary care providers and specialists across Ontario, relaying patient-specific questions to relevant specialists via a secure web-based platform. Despite ample evidence regarding the general effectiveness of these platforms, their utility as it pertains to clinical concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines has not yet been explored. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of COVID-19 vaccine related eConsults on Ontario patients completed by five allergy specialists between February and October of 2021. 4318 COVID-19 vaccine-related eConsults were completed in total during this time; with 1857 completed by the five allergists participating in this analysis. Question types/content were categorized using a taxonomy developed through consensus on a weighted monthly sample of 499 total cases. Data regarding whether external resources were required to answer each eConsult, impact on primary care provider referral decisions, and allergy consultant response times were collected. A 2-question survey was completed by primary care providers following eConsultation and results were collected. RESULTS 41.08% of eConsults received involved safety concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine administration in the setting of prior allergic disease and another 36.1% involved a potential reaction the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 72.1% of eConsults were answered by specialist without needing external resources, and only 9.8% of all eConsults received resulted in a recommendation for formal in-person referral to Clinical Immunology & Allergy specialist or another subspecialty. Average time to complete eConsult was 16.4 min, and 79.7% of PCP eConsult queries which would have traditionally resulted in formal consultation were resolved based on advice provided in the eConsult without need for in-person assessment. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates the utility of the eConsult service as it pertains to COVID-19 vaccine-related concerns. The eConsult platform proved an effective tool in diverting the need for in-person assessment by an Allergist or other medical specialty. This is significant given the large volume of eConsults completed by Allergists, and demonstrates the impact of an effective electronic delivery of care model during a time of strained resources and public health efforts directed at mass vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Walter
- Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
- Divison of Clinical Immunology & Allergy, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Samira Jeimy
- Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Divison of Clinical Immunology & Allergy, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sheena Guglani
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anne K Ellis
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Blair
- Division of Pediatric Clinical Immunology & Allergy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Zave Chad
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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12
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Karslioglu French E, Kanter J, Winger ME, Williams K, Grumski T, Schuster J, Beckjord E. A Payer-Provider Partnership for Endocrine Targeted Automatic eConsults: Implementation and Early Impact on Diabetes and Cost Outcomes. Popul Health Manag 2023. [PMID: 37093168 DOI: 10.1089/pop.2023.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In the United States, many individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) do not achieve treatment goals despite the availability of effective interventions. Provider clinical inertia is one cause of these unfavorable outcomes. Targeted automatic eConsults (TACos) are an emerging technology-based intervention with potential to address clinical inertia in primary care (PC). TACos prospectively identify at-risk patients and use unsolicited specialist recommendations to prompt treatment intensification. Through a payer-provider collaboration, a TACos intervention was piloted for adults with uncontrolled DM (HbA1c >8%) to understand impact on DM clinical inertia and outcomes. Clinical inertia was assessed by measuring whether a PC provider implemented recommended therapeutic changes. Six-month changes in HbA1c and health care costs per member per month were evaluated using an observational matched design and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. The analysis included 196 individuals who received a TACos between February 2021 and August 2021 (ITT group) matched to 392 controls based on clinical and demographic criteria. TACos recommendations were implemented 65% of the time. Median percent change in HbA1c was significantly greater for the ITT group versus controls (-10.9% vs. -10.2%; P = 0.0359). Median total costs were 7.9% lower in the ITT group (P = 0.0900). A per protocol analysis was done to examine effects between ITT group individuals with an implemented TACos recommendation (n = 126) and controls. Median percent change in HbA1c was significantly greater (-19.5% vs. -10.2%; P < 0.0001), but there was no difference in total costs (-7.9%; P = 0.1753). TACos may feasibly address clinical inertia in PC and improve HbA1c for uncontrolled DM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Justin Kanter
- UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mary E Winger
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, Department of Health Economics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kelly Williams
- UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tammi Grumski
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Schuster
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ellen Beckjord
- UPMC Insurance Services Division, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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13
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Hakimjavadi R, Karunananthan S, Levi C, LeBlanc K, Guglani S, Helmer-Smith M, Keely E, Liddy C. Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care-A descriptive study of service utilization data. Nurs Open 2023; 10:2240-2248. [PMID: 36373892 PMCID: PMC10006590 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To describe characteristics of service utilization by advanced practice nurses (APNs) employing an electronic consultation (eConsult) service in their care for older adults. BACKGROUND Canada's aging population is projected to place unprecedented demands on the healthcare system. APNs, which include clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), are nurses with advanced knowledge who can independently provide age-appropriate care. eConsult is a secure web-based platform enabling asynchronous, provider-to-provider communication. APNs can send and receive eConsults to address patient-specific concerns. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of eConsult utilization and user survey data for cases completed in 2019, reported in line with the STROBE guidelines. Eligible eConsults included those that had APN involvement (as a referrer or responder) and were concerning an older patient (≥65 years). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse service utilization and survey response data. RESULTS Of 430 eligible eConsults, 421 (97.9%) were initiated by NPs and the rest by physicians. 23 (5.3%) were received by a CNS, of which 14 (3.3%) involved an NP-to-CNS exchange. Median specialist response interval was 0.9 days. 53% of eConsults was for dermatology, haematology, cardiology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. 73% of eConsults avoided a face-to-face referral after the consultation. In 90% of eConsults, APNs rated the service as helpful and/or educational. CONCLUSIONS Through eConsult, APNs can collaborate with each other and physicians to access and provide a breadth of advice facilitating timely specialist-informed care for older patients, thus helping to alleviate some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE There is an opportunity for APNs to further adopt eConsult into their clinical practice, and this can, in turn, support the integration of the APN role in the health workforce. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Current APN eConsult users were involved in the study design and interpretation of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramtin Hakimjavadi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sathya Karunananthan
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cheryl Levi
- Emergency Department Outreach Program, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kimberly LeBlanc
- Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Advanced Practice Nurse (Wound, Ostomy, and Continence), KDS Professional Consulting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sheena Guglani
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mary Helmer-Smith
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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14
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Singer A, Ireland L, Sepehri Z, Brown K, Turner K, Liddy C, Keely E, Oppenheimer L. Evaluation of BASE eConsult Manitoba: patient perspectives on the use of electronic consultation to improve access to specialty advice in Manitoba. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:131. [PMID: 36755243 PMCID: PMC9909129 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of waiting to access specialist expertise may contribute to poorer health outcomes and causes distress for patients and providers. One solution to improve access to specialist care is to use innovative tools such as remote asynchronous electronic consultation (eConsult). Modeled after the Champlain BASE™ (Building Access to Specialist Advice) eConsult service, BASE™ eConsult Manitoba was launched in 2017 to help address long waits for patients to access specialist advice. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate patients' experiences after obtaining a BASE™ eConsult Manitoba service in their primary care setting. METHODS Patients whose Primary Care Providers (PCPs) used BASE™ eConsult as part of their care were asked to participate and complete a telephone-based or online 29-question survey between January 2021 and October 2021. The survey questions were created in consultation with patient partners and based on questions asked in studies done in other jurisdictions. RESULTS Of the 36 patients who chose to participate, 29 completed the entire survey (80%). Two-thirds (n = 22) agreed that eConsult has been helpful in their situation, and over 80% (n = 24) of participants agreed that eConsult was an acceptable way to access specialist care. During the visit when their PCP sent the eConsult, 7 patients were expecting to be referred to a specialist for a face-to-face consultation. Over half of all respondents (n = 15) reported that before the eConsult occurred, their PCP asked them what questions they wanted to be answered by the specialist. Almost all of these respondents' questions were fully answered by the eConsult. All of the respondents were satisfied with the experience of receiving an eConsult. CONCLUSION Using eConsult is an acceptable way to improve access to specialist advice from patients' perspectives. Consideration should be given to expanding the use of eConsult services to improve access to specialist expertise for PCPs and their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Singer
- Department of Family Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, D009-780 Bannatyne Ave., MB, Winnipeg, R3E 0W2, Canada.
| | - Laurie Ireland
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Family Medicine, University of Manitoba, D009-780 Bannatyne Ave., MB Winnipeg, R3E 0W2 Canada ,grid.422680.aNine Circles Community Health Centre, 705 Broadway Ave. , Winnipeg, MB R3G 0X2 Canada
| | - Zahra Sepehri
- grid.444944.d0000 0004 0384 898XDepartment of Internal Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran ,grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Family Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, P219 – 780 Bannatyne Ave, MB Winnipeg, R3E 0W2 Canada
| | | | - Kevin Turner
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609eConsult Centre of Excellence, University of Manitoba Alumni, Winnipeg, MB R33 0W2 Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- grid.418792.10000 0000 9064 33337 C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.412687.e0000 0000 9606 5108eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- grid.412687.e0000 0000 9606 5108eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.28046.380000 0001 2182 2255Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada ,grid.412687.e0000 0000 9606 5108Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Luis Oppenheimer
- grid.21613.370000 0004 1936 9609Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Winnipeg, MB Canada
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15
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Khan N, Gilliar W, Bamrah JS, Dave S. Post-COVID-19: can digital solutions lead to a more equitable global healthcare workforce? BJPsych Int 2023; 20:18-23. [PMID: 36812032 PMCID: PMC9909439 DOI: 10.1192/bji.2022.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
An unintended consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the exponential growth of telemedicine, with automation of healthcare becoming more common. Face-to-face meetings and training events have been replaced relatively seamlessly with online versions, taking clinical or academic expertise to distant parts of the world and making them more accessible and affordable. The wide reach of digital platforms offering remote healthcare offers the opportunity of democratising access to high-quality healthcare, However, certain challenges remain: (a) clinical guidance developed in one geographical area may need adaptation for use in others; (b) regulatory mechanisms from one jurisdiction need to offer patient safety across other jurisdictions; (c) barriers created by disparity in technology infrastructure and the variation in pay for services across different economies, leading to brain drain and an inequitable workforce. The World Health Organization's Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel could offer the preliminary framework on which solutions to these challenges could be built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagina Khan
- BHSc, PGCert, PhD, Senior Research Associate, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, Nevada, USA.
| | - Wolfgang Gilliar
- DO, FAAPMR, Dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University Nevada, Henderson, Nevada, USA
| | - J. S. Bamrah
- FRCPSYCH, MHSM, FIIOPM, Consultant Psychiatrist, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Park House, North Manchester General Hospital, UK
| | - Subodh Dave
- FRCPsych, MMed, Consultant Psychiatrist and Deputy Director of Undergraduate Medical Education, Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, University of Bolton, UK.
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16
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Job J, Nicholson C, Calleja Z, Jackson C, Donald M. Implementing a general practitioner-to-general physician eConsult service (eConsultant) in Australia. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1278. [PMID: 36280832 PMCID: PMC9589630 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08663-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In response to lengthy wait times for specialist outpatient appointments, electronic consultation (eConsult) services have developed globally, providing asynchronous, secure and timely communication between general practitioner (GP) and specialist. This study aims to track adoption of a Queensland eConsultant service in two Australian Primary Health Networks (Western Queensland and Brisbane South) to understand key barriers and enablers to adoption and inform modification of the implementation strategy. Methods Our theory-informed mixed-methods evaluation assessed implementation between July 2020 and March 2022. Adoption and implementation activities were prospectively recorded in bespoke tracking spreadsheets with implementation activities coded against the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategies. Semi-structured interviews with GPs and stakeholders informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) were conducted to understand determinants of implementation. Results Of the 40 practices invited to take part in the eConsultant service, 20 (50%) enrolled. Of the 97 GPs who consented, 38 sent at least one Request for Advice (RFA) to the eConsultant with a total of 112 RFA sent. Implementation was predominantly guided by eight strategies. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 GPs and 4 stakeholders (12 from rural/remote regions, 11 females and two sole practitioners). Interviewees felt the eConsultant service supported outpatient appointment avoidance and provided efficient, timely access to specialist support for GPs and their patients. Barriers identified to using eConsultant related to digital infrastructure, competing priorities, and keeping the service ‘front of mind’. Key enablers identified were the relative advantage of eConsultant over other options, patient benefits and COVD-19 facilitating the use of digital technology. Conclusions This evaluation highlighted service enablers as well as user priorities for broader implementation. A focus on a well-integrated digital system and availability of a variety of eConsultant specialties are seen as key strategies to embedding the eConsultant option in GP advice processes in Australia. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08663-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Job
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537UQ-MRI Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia
| | - Caroline Nicholson
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537UQ-MRI Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia ,Integrated Care and Innovation Translation, Mater Misericordiae Ltd, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Zoe Calleja
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537UQ-MRI Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia
| | - Claire Jackson
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537UQ-MRI Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Primary Care Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537General Practice Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Maria Donald
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537UQ-MRI Centre for Health System Reform and Integration, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Level 8, Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4029 Australia ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537General Practice Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Virtual Access to Subspecialty Care. Prim Care 2022; 49:557-573. [PMCID: PMC9581700 DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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18
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Organization of primary care. Prim Health Care Res Dev 2022; 23:e49. [PMID: 36047002 PMCID: PMC9472237 DOI: 10.1017/s1463423622000275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Strong primary care does not develop spontaneously but requires a well-developed organizational planning between levels of care. Primary care-oriented health systems are required to effectively tackle unmet health needs of the population, and efficient primary care organization (PCO) is crucial for this aim. Via strong primary care, health delivery, health outcomes, equity, and health security could be improved. There are several theoretical models on how primary care can be organized. In this position paper, the key aspects and benchmarks of PCO will be explored based on previously mentioned frameworks and domains. The aim of this position paper is to assist primary care providers, policymakers, and researchers by discussing the current context of PCO and providing guidance for implementation, development, and evaluation of it in a particular setting. The conceptual map of this paper consists of structural and process (PC service organization) domains and is adapted from frameworks described in literature and World Health Organization resources. Evidence we have gathered for this paper shows that for establishing a strong PCO, it is crucial to ensure accessible, continuous, person-centered, community-oriented, coordinated, and integrated primary care services provided by competent and socially accountable multiprofessional teams working in a setting where clear policy documents exist, adequate funding is available, and primary care is managed by dedicated units.
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Carroll JC, Liddy C, Afkham A, Keely E, Goh ES, Graham GE, Permaul JA, Allanson J, Heisey R, Makuwaza T, Manca DP, O'Brien MA, Grunfeld E. Use of eConsult to enhance genetics service delivery in primary care: A multimethod study. Genet Med 2022; 24:2034-2041. [PMID: 35947109 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Electronic consultation (eConsult) is a freely-available secure online platform connecting primary care providers (PCPs) to geneticists. Our purpose was to determine whether eConsult is effective in improving genetics service delivery in primary care. METHODS PCP questionnaires regarding eConsult's utility, geneticists' tracking form assessments of eConsult type and appropriateness, and geneticists' interviews on implementing eConsult were carried out. RESULTS In 2 regions of Ontario, Canada, from January 2019 to June 2020, there were 305 genetics eConsults. For 169 (55%), PCPs indicated receiving good advice for a new course of action; for 110 (36%), referral was now avoided; and for 261 (86%), eConsult was perceived valuable for patient management. Of the 131 geneticist-completed tracking forms, cancer questions were most common (68, 52%). For 63 (48%), geneticists disagreed/strongly disagreed PCPs should know the answer to the referral question. From the interview data, it was observed that geneticists described eConsult positively and suggested how it might improve access and efficiencies if integrated into genetic service delivery. Dealing with eConsults virtually could reduce waitlists, and suggesting appropriate investigations for PCPs could improve efficiencies. CONCLUSION eConsult offers a potential solution for receiving timely genetics advice and avoiding unnecessary patient referrals, however, greater effect on access and wait times will need systematic integration into PCP and geneticist practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- June C Carroll
- Ray D. Wolfe Department of Family Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amir Afkham
- Ontario Health East, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elaine S Goh
- Laboratory Medicine and Genetics and Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gail E Graham
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joanne A Permaul
- Ray D. Wolfe Department of Family Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Judith Allanson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth Heisey
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Family and Community Medicine, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tutsirai Makuwaza
- Ray D. Wolfe Department of Family Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Donna P Manca
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mary Ann O'Brien
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eva Grunfeld
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Wang T, Giunti G, Melles M, Goossens R. Digital Patient Experience: Umbrella Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e37952. [PMID: 35925651 PMCID: PMC9389377 DOI: 10.2196/37952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adoption and use of technology have significantly changed health care delivery. Patient experience has become a significant factor in the entire spectrum of patient-centered health care delivery. Digital health facilitates further improvement and empowerment of patient experiences. Therefore, the design of digital health is served by insights into the barriers to and facilitators of digital patient experience (PEx). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to systematically review the influencing factors and design considerations of PEx in digital health from the literature and generate design guidelines for further improvement of PEx in digital health. METHODS We performed an umbrella systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology. We searched Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Two rounds of small random sampling (20%) were independently reviewed by 2 reviewers who evaluated the eligibility of the articles against the selection criteria. Two-round interrater reliability was assessed using the Fleiss-Cohen coefficient (k1=0.88 and k2=0.80). Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the extracted data based on a small set of a priori categories. RESULTS The search yielded 173 records, of which 45 (26%) were selected for data analysis. Findings and conclusions showed a great diversity; most studies presented a set of themes (19/45, 42%) or descriptive information only (16/45, 36%). The digital PEx-related influencing factors were classified into 9 categories: patient capability, patient opportunity, patient motivation, intervention technology, intervention functionality, intervention interaction design, organizational environment, physical environment, and social environment. These can have three types of impacts: positive, negative, or double edged. We captured 4 design constructs (personalization, information, navigation, and visualization) and 3 design methods (human-centered or user-centered design, co-design or participatory design, and inclusive design) as design considerations. CONCLUSIONS We propose the following definition for digital PEx: "Digital patient experience is the sum of all interactions affected by a patient's behavioral determinants, framed by digital technologies, and shaped by organizational culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care channeling digital health." In this study, we constructed a design and evaluation framework that contains 4 phases-define design, define evaluation, design ideation, and design evaluation-and 9 design guidelines to help digital health designers and developers address digital PEx throughout the entire design process. Finally, our review suggests 6 directions for future digital PEx-related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Guido Giunti
- Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
- Digital Health Design and Development, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Marijke Melles
- Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Richard Goossens
- Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
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Sethuram C, Helmer-Smith M, Karunananthan S, Keely E, Singh J, Liddy C. Electronic consultation in correctional facilities worldwide: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e055049. [PMID: 35922103 PMCID: PMC9352998 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide an overview of the use of and evidence for eConsult in correctional facilities worldwide. DESIGN Scoping review. DATA SOURCES Three academic databases (MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL) were searched to identify papers published between 1990 and 2020 that presented data on eConsult use in correctional facilities. The grey literature was also searched for any resources that discussed eConsult use in correctional facilities. Articles and resources were excluded if they discussed synchronous, patient-to-provider or unsecure communication. The reference lists of included articles were also hand searched. RESULTS Of the 226 records retrieved from the academic literature search and 595 from the grey literature search, 22 were included in the review. Most study populations included adult male offenders in a variety of correctional environments. These resources identified 13 unique eConsult services in six countries. Six of these services involved multiple medical specialties, while the remaining services were single specialty. The available evidence was organised into five identified themes: feasibility, cost-effectiveness, access to care, provider satisfaction and clinical impact. CONCLUSIONS This study identified evidence that the use of eConsult in correctional facilities is beneficial and avoids unnecessary transportation of offenders outside of the facilities. It is feasible, cost-effective, increases access to care, has an impact on clinical care and has high provider satisfaction. Some gaps in the literature remain, and we suggest further research on patient satisfaction, enablers and barriers to implementation, and women, youth and transgender populations in this setting to inform service providers and stakeholders. Despite some gaps, eConsult is evidently an important tool to provide timely, high-quality care to offenders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Sethuram
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mary Helmer-Smith
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sathya Karunananthan
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jatinderpreet Singh
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Dobscha SK, Dandois M, Rynerson A, Rabin S, Bajrovic E, Corey G. Development and Evaluation of a Novel Collaborative Care Rotation for Psychiatry Residents. ACADEMIC PSYCHIATRY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF DIRECTORS OF PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENCY TRAINING AND THE ASSOCIATION FOR ACADEMIC PSYCHIATRY 2022; 46:491-494. [PMID: 34002360 PMCID: PMC8128095 DOI: 10.1007/s40596-021-01473-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven K Dobscha
- VA Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), Portland, OR, USA.
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA.
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
| | | | - Annabelle Rynerson
- VA Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), Portland, OR, USA
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Sarah Rabin
- VA Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), Portland, OR, USA
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Gwyn Corey
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article summarizes the existing literature on psychiatric electronic consultation (e-consultation or e-consult) to provide guidance on psychiatric e-consult practice and suggest next steps in research on psychiatric e-consults. METHOD A narrative review was conducted using relevant search terms in PubMed and Google Scholar. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The psychiatric e-consult is a method of asynchronous consultation between primary care providers and psychiatric specialists that is associated with primary care provider satisfaction and promotes access to specialist guidance in mental health care. Major themes in the literature include contextual factors that affect implementation of psychiatric e-consult services, outcomes associated with psychiatric e-consults, and specific practical considerations that may affect psychiatric e-consult technique. CONCLUSIONS Psychiatric e-consults may help address the widespread lack of access to specialty psychiatric care. Further studies are needed to examine clinical outcomes based on psychiatry e-consults.
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Payne T, Kevric J, Stelmach W, To H. The Use of Electronic Consultations in Outpatient Surgery Clinics: Synthesized Narrative Review. JMIR Perioper Med 2022; 5:e34661. [PMID: 35436223 PMCID: PMC9052035 DOI: 10.2196/34661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Electronic consultations (eConsults) are an increasingly used form of telemedicine that allows a nonspecialist clinician to seek specialist advice remotely without direct patient-specialist communication. Surgical clinics may see benefits from such forms of communication but face challenges with the need for intervention planning. Objective We aimed to use the Quadruple Aim Framework to integrate published knowledge of surgical outpatient eConsults with regard to efficacy, safety, limitations, and evolving use in the era of COVID-19. Methods We systematically searched for relevant studies across four databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science) on November 4, 2021, with the following inclusion criteria: English language, published in the past 10 years, and data on the outcomes of outpatient surgical eConsults. Results A total of 363 studies were screened for eligibility, of which 33 (9.1%) were included. Most of the included studies were from the United States (23/33, 70%) and Canada (7/33, 21%), with a predominant multidisciplinary focus (9/33, 27%). Most were retrospective audits (16/33, 48%), with 15% (5/33) of the studies having a prospective component. Conclusions The surgical eConsult studies indicated a possible benefit for population health, promising safety results, enhanced patient and clinician experience, and cost savings compared with the traditional face-to-face surgical referral pathway. Their use appeared to be more favorable in some surgical subspecialties, and the overall efficacy was similar to that of medical subspecialties. Limited data on their long-term safety and use during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified, and this should be the focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Payne
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Surgery, The Northern Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jasmina Kevric
- Department of Surgery, The Northern Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wanda Stelmach
- Department of Surgery, The Northern Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Henry To
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Surgery, The Northern Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
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Malcolm EJ, Brandon Z, Wilson LE, Shoup JP, King HA, Lewinski A, Greiner MA, Malone S, Miller J, Keenan RT, Tarrant TK, Phinney D, Cho A, Bosworth HB, Shah K. eConsults' Impact on Care Access and Wait Times in Rheumatology. J Clin Rheumatol 2022; 28:147-154. [PMID: 35067514 DOI: 10.1097/rhu.0000000000001825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE A growing number of health systems have implemented eConsults to improve access to specialty advice, but few studies have described their use in rheumatology or impact on visit wait times. We evaluated the uptake of an eConsult program and its impact on wait times for in-person rheumatology visits. METHODS In this quality improvement project, we analyzed electronic health record data from 4 intervention clinics and 4 comparison clinics, 12 months before and after implementation of an eConsult program. We compared median wait time for rheumatology appointments using a pre-post difference-in-differences analysis and quantile regression, adjusting for patient age, race, sex, clinic pair, and primary insurance payer. We also interviewed 11 primary care providers from the intervention clinics and conducted a rheumatology provider focus group (n = 4) to elucidate experiences with the program. RESULTS Rheumatologists recommended management in primary care or referral to another specialty for 41% of eConsults, reducing initial demand for in-person visits. The median wait times dropped in the intervention and the comparison clinics (42 and 25 days, respectively). Intervention clinic median wait time dropped 17 days more than comparison clinics, and this was nonstatistically significant (p = 0.089). eConsults fit provider care tasks best for triage or initial workup for diagnosis, and less well when tests required interpretation, or when back and forth communication was needed to manage the patient's condition. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of eConsults for rheumatology was associated with reduced wait times for rheumatology appointments and supported primary care providers in the triage and workup for a substantial portion of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Julie Miller
- From the Duke University School of Medicine, Durham
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26
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[E-consultation as a tool for the relationship between Primary Care and Endocrinology. Impact of COVID-19 epidemic in its use]. J Healthc Qual Res 2022; 37:155-161. [PMID: 34866028 PMCID: PMC9847372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhqr.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Electronic consultation (eConsultation) can precede, complete, or replace visits to the specialist. OBJECTIVE To describe the profile of eConsultations issued from Primary Care (PC) to the Endocrinology Unit since their implementation in our hospital, to assess the response time and to evaluate changes in trends in relation to the COVID19 pandemic. A secondary objective is to evaluate the degree of satisfaction of PC specialists with this tool. MATERIAL AND METHODS An observational retrospective study of Endocrinology eConsultations conducted from June 2019 to October 2020 analysing 2periods: pre-COVID and post-COVID. The degree of satisfaction of the Family and Community Medicine specialists was assessed by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS 391 eConsultations were answered (69 pre-COVID and 322 post-COVID). The response time was less than 24h in 85% of them. A total of 35.3% were resolved without the need for visits or additional tests. Thyroid pathology was the most consulted. The incidence was significantly higher in the post-COVID period. The proportion of high resolution was significantly higher in the pre-COVID period. There were no differences in the rest of the parameters analysed in both periods. Thirty-nine point 2percent of PC specialists answered the survey. The degree of satisfaction of PC specialists was high. A total of 92.7% considered that the tool met their expectations and 90.5% were satisfied or very satisfied with its use. CONCLUSION The COVID epidemic has driven the use of eConsultation in Endocrinology, which makes it possible to precede, complete or replace visits to the specialist, with a high degree of user satisfaction.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review explores advances in the utilization of technology to address perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). Specifically, we sought to assess the range of technologies available, their application to PMADs, and evidence supporting use. RECENT FINDINGS We identified a variety of technologies with promising capacity for direct intervention, prevention, and augmentation of clinical care for PMADs. These included wearable technology, electronic consultation, virtual and augmented reality, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, and predictive analytics using machine learning. Available evidence for these technologies in PMADs was almost uniformly positive. However, evidence for use in PMADs was limited compared to that in general mental health populations. Proper attention to PMADs has been severely limited by issues of accessibility, affordability, and patient acceptance. Increased use of technology has the potential to address all three of these barriers by facilitating modes of communication, data collection, and patient experience.
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28
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Marwaha S, Dusendang JR, Alexeeff SE, Crowley E, Haiman M, Pham N, Tuerk MJ, Wudka D, Hartmann M, Herrinton LJ. Comanagement of Rashes by Primary Care Providers and Dermatologists: A Retrospective Study. Perm J 2021; 25. [PMID: 35348083 DOI: 10.7812/tpp/20.320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a high demand for managing skin disease, and dermatologists are in short supply. OBJECTIVES To better understand how rashes and other specific skin conditions are co-managed by primary care providers (PCPs) and dermatologists, we estimated the frequency with which PCPs sought consultation with or referral to dermatology and the proportion of patients who had a follow-up dermatology office visit in the following 90 days. DESIGN AND SETTING The retrospective longitudinal study included 106,459 patients with a skin condition diagnosed by 3,830 PCPs, from January 2017 to March 2017. METHODS Comprehensive electronic medical record data with generalized linear mixed modeling accounted for patient factors including diagnosis and clustering by medical center and PCP. RESULTS PCPs escalated 9% of patients to dermatology through consultation or referral, while 5% required a follow-up dermatology office visit within 90 days. Patients with bullous, hair, or pigment conditions or psoriasis were most likely to be escalated. Clustering of escalation and follow-up visits was minimal in relation to medical center (intraclass correlation, 0.04 for both outcomes) or PCP (escalation, intraclass correlation, 0.16; follow-up visits, 0.09). DISCUSSION Improving primary care education in skin disease and, for certain skin conditions, standardizing approaches to workup, treatment, and escalation may further streamline care and reduce pressure on the dermatologist workforce. CONCLUSION PCPs managed 91% of rashes without consultation or referral to dermatology, and the frequency of patients scheduled for dermatology office visits after primary care was similar from one PCP to another.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ngoc Pham
- Dermatology, Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara, CA
| | | | - Danny Wudka
- The Permanente Medical Group, Quality and Operations Support, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA
| | - Michael Hartmann
- The Permanente Medical Group, Quality and Operations Support, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA
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29
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Nijhof D, Ingram A, Ochieng R, Roberts EJ, Poulton B, Ochieng B. Examining GP online consultation in a primary care setting in east midlands, UK. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1030. [PMID: 34592980 PMCID: PMC8482740 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07039-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing pressure threatens to overwhelm primary care services, affecting the quality of care and their role as gatekeepers to specialised care services. This study investigated healthcare users’ acceptability of – and the effectiveness of – an e-consultation system in primary care services. Methods Seven GP practices in East-Midlands, all of whom use online consultation system participated in the study, with a retrospective review being undertaken of 189 electronic patients’ records (age range of 18–76 years) over 5 months. The focus was on the electronic records of patients who accessed the service for five different conditions identified as presenting common conditions seen by the GPs practices. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS to perform an exploratory data analysis and descriptive statistics. Results The results showed a positive reception of the online consultation platform, with an average satisfaction score of 4.15 (most likely to recommend score = 5). Given the nature of the conditions, 47.6% of patients had experienced a previous episode of the health condition they were seeking consultation for, and a total of 72% had existing comorbidities. Follow-up activity occurred for 87.3% of patients, 66.1% of which included at least one follow-up visit for the same condition as the initial online consultation. Conclusion The results suggest that online consultation is convenient for patients, and it also has the potential to relieve pressure placed on primary care services. Although a number of challenges were identified, such as patient verification, this study gives insight into – and enhances our understanding of – the use of online GP consultations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewy Nijhof
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Rebecca Ochieng
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
| | | | | | - Bertha Ochieng
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
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Fung C, Shah S, Helmer-Smith M, Levi C, Keely E, Liddy C. Clinical Questions Asked by Long-Term Care Providers Through eConsult: A Retrospective Study. Gerontol Geriatr Med 2021; 7:23337214211032055. [PMID: 34471649 PMCID: PMC8404619 DOI: 10.1177/23337214211032055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction eConsult allows primary care providers (PCPs) to access timely specialist advice and informs patient care. To understand the use of eConsult in long-term care (LTC) settings, we examined the clinical content and types of questions asked by LTC PCPs. Methods A descriptive, retrospective study of eConsults submitted through the Champlain BASE™ eConsult Service between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018, by LTC PCPs was conducted. Cases were classified using validated taxonomies. Descriptive statistics were generated for content and question type classifications, service utilization data, and close-out survey responses. Results 22 LTC PCPs submitted 113 eConsults. They sought advice about drug treatment (58%), diagnosis (44%), and management (38%) in a breadth of clinical areas, often skin-related (39%). Long-term care PCPs frequently asked more than one question type (42%). They received advice within 1 week (91%) and rated eConsult as very helpful and educational. Three case examples are presented. Conclusion This study demonstrates the type of advice LTC PCPs are seeking through eConsult and its usefulness in this setting. Long-term care stakeholders are encouraged to consider implementing eConsult in other regions, as a means to improve access to timely specialist advice, support clinical decision-making, and improve residents’ quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Fung
- St. Patrick's Home of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Soha Shah
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mary Helmer-Smith
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Levi
- Emergency Department Outreach Program, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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31
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Lee MS, Nambudiri VE. Electronic consultations and clinician burnout: An antidote to our emotional pandemic? J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021; 28:1038-1041. [PMID: 33313867 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Health information technology is a major source of clinician burnout due to increased administrative burden and inefficient work processes. Electronic consultations (eConsults) represent a promising innovation to improve access to specialty care by reducing wait times for specialist visits and reducing unnecessary in-person specialist visits. While eConsults have clear benefits for patients and healthcare systems, their potential effects on provider burnout should be considered. Using a framework which outlines that the loss of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as the main contributing factors to clinician "amotivation" and burnout, we discuss the use of eConsults and their potential to mitigate or exacerbate burnout for primary care providers and specialists, as well as recommendations for implementation of eConsults to reduce burnout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Lee
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Vinod E Nambudiri
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Guglani S, Liddy C, Afkham A, Mitchell R, Keely E. One Service, Two Models: a comparison of direct-to-specialist and managed specialty models in a provincial eConsult service (Preprint). JMIR Form Res 2021; 6:e32101. [PMID: 35451985 PMCID: PMC9077515 DOI: 10.2196/32101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Ontario electronic consultation (eConsult) service allows a primary care provider (PCP) to access specialist advice through 2 models: the direct-to-specialist (DTS) model, where PCPs select a specialist from a directory, and the Building Access to Specialists Through eConsultation (BASE)–managed specialty service, where PCPs choose a specialty group and are assigned a specialist from a qualified pool based on availability. Objective The aim of this study is to examine patterns of use between the 2 models of eConsult delivery. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of utilization data collected from eConsults completed between October 2018 and September 2019. Cases were grouped based on the model used for submission (ie, BASE or DTS). Each model was assessed for the number of cases over time, specialty distribution, proportion resulting in new or additional information, impact on PCPs’ decisions to refer, and billing time. Results PCPs submitted 26,121 eConsults during the study period. The monthly case volume increased by 43% over the duration of the study, primarily in the BASE model (66% compared to 6% for DTS). PCPs were able to confirm a course of action that they originally had in mind in 41.4% (6373/15,376) of BASE cases and 41.3% (3363/8136) of DTS cases and received advice for a new or additional course of action in 54.7% (8418/15,376) of BASE cases and 56.3% (4582/8136) of DTS cases. A referral was originally contemplated but avoided in 51.3% (7887/15,376) of BASE cases and 53.3% (4336/8136) of DTS cases, originally contemplated and still needed in 19.4% (2986/15,376) of BASE cases and 17.7% (1438/8136) of DTS cases, and neither originally contemplated nor needed in 21.7% (3334/15,376) of BASE cases and 21.9% (1781/8136) of DTS cases. Conclusions Both eConsult models had strong uptake. Use patterns varied between models, with the majority of growth occurring under BASE, but survey responses showed that both models provided similar outcomes in terms of new information offered and impact on decision to refer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena Guglani
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Rhea Mitchell
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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33
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Arslan IG, Voorbrood VMI, Stitzinger SAG, van de Kerkhove MP, Rozendaal RM, van Middelkoop M, Bindels PJE, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA, Schiphof D. Evaluation of intermediate care for knee and hip osteoarthritis: a mixed-methods study. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2021; 22:131. [PMID: 34167479 PMCID: PMC8229342 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-021-01474-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate intermediate care for knee and hip osteoarthritis (KHOA) in the general practice that incorporate specialist services into general practice to prevent unnecessary referrals to hospitals. METHODS We used a mixed methods approach including semi-structured interviews, patient experience questionnaires and data from medical records from three intermediate care projects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, general practitioners (GPs), orthopaedists and a healthcare manager in intermediate care. Satisfaction of patients who received intermediate care (n = 100) was collected using questionnaires. Referral data and healthcare consumption from medical records were collected retrospectively from KHOA patients before (n = 96) and after (n = 208) the implementation of intermediate care. RESULTS GPs and orthopaedists in intermediate care experienced more intensive collaboration compared to regular care. This led to a perceived increase in GPs' knowledge enabling better selection of referrals to orthopaedics and less healthcare consumption. Orthopaedists felt a higher workload and limited access to diagnostic facilities. Patients were satisfied and experienced better access to specialists' knowledge in a trusted environment compared to regular care. Referrals to physiotherapy increased significantly after the implementation of intermediate care (absolute difference = 15%; 95% CI = 7.19 to 22.8), but not significantly to orthopaedics (absolute difference = 5.9%; 95% CI = -6.18 to 17.9). CONCLUSIONS Orthopaedists and GPs perceived the benefits of an intensified collaboration in intermediate care. Intermediate care may contribute to high quality of care through more physiotherapy referrals. Further research with longer follow-up is needed to confirm these findings and give more insight in referrals and healthcare consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilgin G Arslan
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands.
| | - Vincent M I Voorbrood
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands.,General Practice Pallion, Hulst, The Netherlands
| | | | - Maarten-Paul van de Kerkhove
- General Practice Pallion, Hulst, The Netherlands.,Orthopaedics ZorgSaam Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Terneuzen, The Netherlands
| | - Rianne M Rozendaal
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Marienke van Middelkoop
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick J E Bindels
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Sita M A Bierma-Zeinstra
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands.,Department of Orthopaedics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dieuwke Schiphof
- Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands
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Comparing the content of traditional faxed consultations to eConsults within an academic endocrinology clinic. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL ENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 24:100260. [PMID: 34195010 PMCID: PMC8233128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcte.2021.100260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Objective To compare the content of traditional faxed referrals and electronic consultations (eConsults) and determine how many questions sent by traditional referral could be successfully addressed using eConsult. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, qualitative study of eConsults and faxed referrals sent to a tertiary diabetes and endocrinology clinic in Ottawa, Ontario. A convenience sample of 300 faxed referrals sent between March and July 2017 and 300 eConsults submitted between January and December 2017 were selected and coded using an established taxonomy to determine question type. Two endocrinologists reviewed the faxed referrals to assess whether they could have been addressed using eConsult. Responses to a mandatory closeout survey were reviewed for all eConsults, assessing the case’s outcome, impact on decision to refer, and educational value. Results Most faxed consultations were requests for shared care in diabetes mellitus, whereas most eConsults requested help in diagnostic test interpretation. 25–27% of faxed consults were felt to be potentially amenable to eConsult. Referring provider behaviour was changed in 45.3% of eConsult cases through avoidance of face-to-face consultation. Conclusion eConsult is a promising tool for PCPs to improve access to specialist opinion without necessitating a face-to-face visit.
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Prasad GVR. Enhancing clinical judgement in virtual care for complex chronic disease. J Eval Clin Pract 2021; 27:677-683. [PMID: 33559390 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed traditional in-person care into a new reality of virtual care for patients with complex chronic disease (CCD), but how has this transformation impacted clinical judgement? I argue that virtual specialist-patient interaction challenges clinical reasoning and clinical judgement (clinical reasoning combined with statistical reasoning). However, clinical reasoning can improve by recognising the abductive, deductive, and inductive methods that the clinician employs. Abductive reasoning leading to an inference to the best explanation or invention of an explanatory hypothesis is the default response to unfamiliar or confusing situations. Deductive reasoning supports a previously established goal, but deductive accuracy requires sound premises leading to a valid conclusion. Inductive reasoning uses efficient data sorting, data interpretation, and plan creation without a previously established goal, and allows assessing inferential accuracy over time. In all cases, communication remains the backbone of the clinical encounter. Virtual care for CCD challenges clinical judgement by reducing available information, so even experienced specialists who use induction might default to deduction or abduction. The visit might shorten, decreasing narrative competence and in-turn management quality. Clinical judgement in virtual encounters can be enhanced by allowing sufficient time, employing allied health staff, using an advance script, avoiding dogmatic commitment to either virtual or in-person encounters, special training in virtual care, and conscious awareness of abductive, deductive, and inductive reasoning processes. Clinical judgement in virtual encounters especially calls for Gestalt cognition to assess a situational pattern irreducible to its parts and independent of its particulars, so that efficient data interpretation and self-reflection are enabled. Gestalt cognition integrates abduction, deduction, and induction, appropriately divides the time and effort spent on each, and can compensate for reduced available information. Evaluating one's clinical judgement for those components especially vulnerable to compromise can help optimize the delivery of virtual care for patients with CCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- G V Ramesh Prasad
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Gaye M, Mehrotra A, Byrnes-Enoch H, Chokshi D, Wallach A, Rodriguez L, Barnett ML. Association of eConsult Implementation With Access to Specialist Care in a Large Urban Safety-Net System. JAMA HEALTH FORUM 2021; 2:e210456. [PMID: 35977310 PMCID: PMC8796905 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.0456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Question What was the association of implementation of an eConsult program with access to specialty care in a large safety-net hospital system in the US? Findings In this study, 13% of submitted specialty referral requests were resolved electronically and, among requests requiring an in-person visit, appointment scheduling rates increased and wait times to an appointment decreased following eConsult implementation, while visit rates were unchanged. These improvements were mitigated during a hospital-level electronic health record transition. Meaning Wide-scale implementation of an eConsult program was associated with reduced wait times for patients in an urban safety-net health system with specialty care needs. Importance Accessing specialty care continues to be a persistent problem for patients who use safety-net health systems. To address this access barrier, hospital systems have begun to implement electronic referral systems using eConsults, which allow clinicians to submit referral requests to specialty clinics electronically and enable specialty reviewers to resolve referrals, if appropriate, through electronic dialogue without an in-person visit. Objective Measure the effect of implementing an eConsult program on access to specialty care. Design, Setting, and Participants Using an interrupted time series design with data from 2016 to 2020, this study analyzed 50 260 referral requests submitted during the year before and the year after eConsult implementation at 19 New York City Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H) specialty clinics that spanned 7 NYC H+H hospital facilities and 6 unique specialties. Exposures Referral request was submitted to a specialty clinic in the year following eConsult implementation. Main Outcomes and Measures Main outcomes included the fraction of referral requests resolved without an in-person visit following eConsult implementation; and, among requests triaged to have an in-person visit, the fraction of referrals with a successfully scheduled appointment, mean wait time to a specialty appointment, and the fraction of referral requests with a completed specialty visit. Changes associated with eConsult implementation were estimated using multivariate linear regression adjusting for patient age, gender, and specialty clinic fixed effects. Results Across 19 NYC H+H specialty clinics, 26 731 referral requests were submitted in the year before and 23 529 referrals were submitted in the year after eConsult implementation. Following eConsult implementation, 13% of all requests were resolved electronically. Among requests requiring a follow-up visit, the fraction with an appointment successfully scheduled increased by 15.8%, from 66.5% to 82.3% (P < .001). The mean time to an appointment decreased from 61.0 days pre-eConsult to 54.1 days post-eConsult, an adjusted 8.2-day shorter wait time (or 13.3% reduction) following eConsult adoption (P < .001). The percentage of referrals with a completed follow-up visit with a specialist within 90 days of the request did not change (38.4% vs 37.9%, P = .07). Changes in outcomes were mitigated during months when most clinics underwent an electronic health record transition after implementing eConsult. Conclusions and Relevance In this quality improvement study, implementation of eConsults at a large multi-specialty safety-net system was associated with improvements in appointment scheduling rates and wait times. Despite an additional electronic health record transition, eConsults are a promising health care delivery tool for increasing access to specialty care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marema Gaye
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Dave Chokshi
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Andrew Wallach
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Office of Ambulatory Care, New York City Health + Hospitals, New York, New York
| | - Laura Rodriguez
- Office of Ambulatory Care, New York City Health + Hospitals, New York, New York
| | - Michael L. Barnett
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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Barriers and Benefits of the Scheduled Telephone Referral Model (DETELPROG): A Qualitative Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18105280. [PMID: 34065624 PMCID: PMC8156098 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The recently developed scheduled mobile-telephone referral model (DETELPROG) has achieved especially important results in reducing waiting days for patients, but it has been decided to explore what barriers and positive aspects were detected by both primary care physicians (PCPs) and hospital attending physicians (HAPs) regarding its use. For this, a qualitative descriptive study was carried out through six semi-structured interviews and two focus groups in a sample of eleven PCPs and five HAPs. Interviews were carried out from September 2019 to February 2020. Data were analysed by creating the initial categories, recording the sessions, transcribing the information, by doing a comprehensive reading of the texts obtained, and analysing the contents. The results show that DETELPROG gives the PCP greater prominence as a patient’s health coordinator by improving their relationship and patient safety; it also improves the relationship between PCP and HAP, avoiding unnecessary face-to-face referrals and providing safety to the PCP when making decisions. The barriers for DETELPROG to be used by PCP were defensive medicine, patients’ skepticism in DETELPROG, healthcare burden, and inability to focus on the patient or interpret a sign, symptom, or diagnostic test. For HAP, the barriers were lack of confidence in the PCP and complexity of the patient. As a conclusion, DETELPROG referral model provides a lot of advantages and does not pose any new barrier to face-to-face referral or other non-face-to-face referral models, so it should be implemented in primary care.
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Jarjou'i A, Mendlovic J, Dadon Z, Sneineh MA, Tabi M, Kalak G, Jarallah YR, Yinnon AM, Munter G. Availability, timeliness, documentation and quality of consultations among hospital departments: a prospective, comparative study. Isr J Health Policy Res 2021; 10:19. [PMID: 33866967 PMCID: PMC8053423 DOI: 10.1186/s13584-021-00446-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Many in-patients require care from practitioners in various disciplines. Consultations most probably have significant implications for hospitalization outcomes. Purpose To determine key aspects of consultations provided by various departments to formulate an optimal policy. Methods This study comprised two methods: first, a questionnaire was completed in 2019 by 127 physicians interns, residents and senior doctors) from the medical and surgical departments (64 from the surgical wards, 43 from the medical wards and 22 from the emergency room and General ICU) regarding the availability, timeliness and documentation rate of the consultations they received from different disciplines. The investigators rounded through the various departments that were included in the study and they accosted a sample of interns, residents and attending physicians, who were then asked to fill the questionnaire. Overall compliance of filling the questionnaire was 95%. Residents accounted for 72% of the filled questionnaires, seniors and interns accounted for 15 and 13% respectively. Second, a convenience sample of 300 electronic records of hospitalized patients (135 from the surgical wards, 129 from the Medical wards and 36 from the emergency room and General ICU) of actually carried out consultations was reviewed for validated indicators of quality for both the consultation request and response. We used a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from poor (1) to superb (5), to grade the measured parameters. Results The availability, timeliness and documentation rate for medical consultations were 4 ± 0.9, 4.1 ± 0.9 and 4.3 ± 0.9 respectively, as compared with surgical consultations 3.2 ± 1.1, 3.4 ± 1.2 and 3.6 ± 1.2 respectively (P < 0.001). The mean time (in hours) from the consultation request till documentation (of the requested consultation) by consultants in the medical and surgical departments was 3.9 ± 5.9 and 10.0 ± 15.6, respectively (P < 0.001). The quality of requests of consultations from the medical and surgical departments was 3.4 ± 1.1 and 2.8 ± 1.2, respectively (P < 0.001). Two different models of consultations are employed: while each medical department adopts several departments for medical consultations, each day’s on-call surgeon provides all the hospital’s surgical consultations. Conclusion We detected significant differences in key aspects of consultations provided by the departments. The medical model of consultations, in which each medical department adopts several other wards to which it provides consulting services upon request, should probably be adopted as a major policy decision by hospitals directors to enhance inter-departmental consultations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13584-021-00446-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Jarjou'i
- Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel. .,Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Joseph Mendlovic
- Deputy CEO, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ziv Dadon
- Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Cardiology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Marwan Abu Sneineh
- Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Meir Tabi
- Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Cardiology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - George Kalak
- Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yousef R Jarallah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amos M Yinnon
- Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Gabriel Munter
- Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.,Division of Internal Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Affiliated with the Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 3235, 91031, Jerusalem, Israel
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Milakovic M, Corrado AM, Tadrous M, Nguyen ME, Vuong S, Ivers NM. Effects of a single-entry intake system on access to outpatient visits to specialist physicians and allied health professionals: a systematic review. CMAJ Open 2021; 9:E413-E423. [PMID: 33863800 PMCID: PMC8084550 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20200067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Canada lags behind other countries with respect to wait times for specialist physician and allied health professional consultations. We conducted a systematic review to assess the effects of a single-entry model on waiting time, referral volume and the satisfaction of patients and health care providers. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and CINAHL databases from inception to December 2019. We included studies from countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that reported on the effects of a single-entry model on the time between referral to first assessment by a specialist physician or allied health professional, termed wait time 1 (WT1). Patient volume and the satisfaction of providers and patients were secondary outcomes. We conducted a narrative synthesis using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Of the 4637 citations identified, 17 met the eligibility criteria, and we included 10 of these in the final analysis. All of the included studies reported an absolute reduction in WT1 after implementation of the single-entry model. The average percent reduction in WT1 across specialties was greatest for surgical referrals (57%) and urgent internal medicine referrals (40%). Higher initial WT1 was associated with a greater absolute reduction in WT1 after implementation of the single-entry model (p = 0.002). Patient and provider satisfaction with the single-entry model was high in all studies. The effect estimates from all included studies were at high risk of bias. INTERPRETATION Single-entry models were associated with an absolute reduction in time from referral from primary care to consultation. These models represent a promising option to improve access to a range of health services, but there is a need for rigorous prospective evaluations to inform policy. PROSPERO REGISTRATION CRD42018100395.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Milakovic
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ann Marie Corrado
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mina Tadrous
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mary E Nguyen
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sandra Vuong
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Noah M Ivers
- Faculty of Medicine (Milakovic), Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (Tadrous), Department of Family and Community Medicine (Ivers) and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Ivers), University of Toronto; The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women's Cancers (Corrado) and Women's College Research Institute (Tadrous, Ivers), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Nguyen), Western University, London, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Vuong), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Leyton C, Zhang C, Rikin S. Evaluation of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Electronic Consultation Use in Primary Care. Telemed J E Health 2021; 28:66-72. [PMID: 33794114 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Little is known about electronic consultation (e-consult) utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic when health systems rapidly implemented and scaled telehealth alternatives to in-person care. It is also unknown if e-consult utilization during the pandemic replaced or merely deferred the need for a specialty appointment. We evaluated if primary care providers' (PCPs) e-consult utilization and specialists' recommendations for specialty appointments changed after the transition to telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cohort study used an interrupted time series analysis of e-consult utilization in a large, urban academic health care system between December 1, 2019, and June 27, 2020; the post-telemedicine time period began March 15, 2020. The primary outcome measure was the odds of an e-consult ordered during a PCP appointment; the secondary outcome measure was the odds of a specialist recommending a specialty appointment in an e-consult. Results: During 193,263 PCP appointments, 1,318 e-consults were placed to internal medicine subspecialties. Compared to the pre-telemedicine time period, the odds of a PCP ordering an e-consult increased (OR 1.04, 95% CI [1.02-1.07]) and the odds of specialists recommending specialty appointments increased (OR 1.11, 95% CI [1.06-1.15]). Conclusions: E-consult use increased following the transition to telemedicine in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that PCPs consider the e-consult a valuable tool for patient care when there is limited availability of specialty appointments. However, recommendations for specialty appointments following an e-consult also increased, suggesting that the e-consult may not replace the need for a specialty appointment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Leyton
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Chenshu Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Sharon Rikin
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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Entezarjou A, Calling S, Bhattacharyya T, Milos Nymberg V, Vigren L, Labaf A, Jakobsson U, Midlöv P. Antibiotic Prescription Rates After eVisits Versus Office Visits in Primary Care: Observational Study. JMIR Med Inform 2021; 9:e25473. [PMID: 33720032 PMCID: PMC8077790 DOI: 10.2196/25473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Direct-to-consumer telemedicine is an increasingly used modality to access primary care. Previous research on assessment using synchronous virtual visits showed mixed results regarding antibiotic prescription rates, and research on assessment using asynchronous chat-based eVisits is lacking. Objective The goal of the research was to investigate if eVisit management of sore throat, other respiratory symptoms, or dysuria leads to higher rates of antibiotic prescription compared with usual management using physical office visits. Methods Data from 3847 eVisits and 759 office visits for sore throat, dysuria, or respiratory symptoms were acquired from a large private health care provider in Sweden. Data were analyzed to compare antibiotic prescription rates within 3 days, antibiotic type, and diagnoses made. For a subset of sore throat visits (n=160 eVisits, n=125 office visits), Centor criteria data were manually extracted and validated. Results Antibiotic prescription rates were lower following eVisits compared with office visits for sore throat (169/798, 21.2%, vs 124/312, 39.7%; P<.001) and respiratory symptoms (27/1724, 1.6%, vs 50/251, 19.9%; P<.001), while no significant differences were noted comparing eVisits to office visits for dysuria (1016/1325, 76.7%, vs 143/196, 73.0%; P=.25). Guideline-recommended antibiotics were prescribed similarly following sore throat eVisits and office visits (163/169, 96.4%, vs 117/124, 94.4%; P=.39). eVisits for respiratory symptoms and dysuria were more often prescribed guideline-recommended antibiotics (26/27, 96.3%, vs 37/50, 74.0%; P=.02 and 1009/1016, 99.3%, vs 135/143, 94.4%; P<.001, respectively). Odds ratios of antibiotic prescription following office visits compared with eVisits after adjusting for age and differences in set diagnoses were 2.94 (95% CI 1.99-4.33), 11.57 (95% CI 5.50-24.32), 1.01 (95% CI 0.66-1.53), for sore throat, respiratory symptoms, and dysuria, respectively. Conclusions The use of asynchronous eVisits for the management of sore throat, dysuria, and respiratory symptoms is not associated with an inherent overprescription of antibiotics compared with office visits. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03474887; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03474887
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Affiliation(s)
- Artin Entezarjou
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Susanna Calling
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Tapomita Bhattacharyya
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Veronica Milos Nymberg
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Ashkan Labaf
- Department of Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Jakobsson
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Patrik Midlöv
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö/Family Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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McDougall J. Leveraging Telemedicine as an Approach to Address Rheumatic Disease Health Disparities. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2021; 47:97-107. [PMID: 34042057 DOI: 10.1016/j.rdc.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Telerheumatology is the application of telehealth to rheumatic disease. Although generally acceptable to both providers and patients, little is known about the safety of telerheumatology or about when, how, and for whom it is best used. Telerheumatology's impact on the rheumatology workforce as well as access to care and health disparities in rheumatic disease is not known. These outcomes likely will depend on the specific telemedicine modalities employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John McDougall
- Northern Navajo Medical Center, Highway 491 North, Shiprock, NM, USA.
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Plotzker RE, Hauschild BC, Kelley D, Blakley LA, Park IU. Knowing What We Do Not Know: Analysis of an Online Consultation Service to Identify Provider Knowledge Gaps in Sexually Transmitted Disease Care. Sex Transm Dis 2021; 48:e1-e4. [PMID: 32649580 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0000000000001233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The national Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Clinical Consultation Network receives requests regarding complex STD cases. A total of 927 requests from Western states, 2017 to 2019, were analyzed for STD of inquiry and syphilis-specific subtopics. Syphilis requests accounted for most queries, and the number and proportion of syphilis-related requests increased significantly over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin C Hauschild
- Denver Prevention Training Center, National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers, National Coordination Center, Denver, CO
| | - Destiny Kelley
- Denver Prevention Training Center, National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers, National Coordination Center, Denver, CO
| | - Lauren A Blakley
- From the California Prevention Training Center, University of California San Francisco, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, San Francisco, CA
| | - Ina U Park
- From the California Prevention Training Center, University of California San Francisco, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, San Francisco, CA
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44
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Lee MS, Nambudiri VE. Electronic Consultations (eConsults) for Safe and Equitable Coordination of Virtual Outpatient Specialty Care. Appl Clin Inform 2020; 11:821-824. [PMID: 33296918 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1719181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Lee
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Vinod E Nambudiri
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Liddy C, Sethuram C, Mihan A, Moroz I, Keely E. Primary Care Providers' Perspectives on the Ontario eConsult Program. Telemed J E Health 2020; 27:1039-1045. [PMID: 33252320 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Electronic consultation (eConsult) allows asynchronous virtual communication between primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists regarding patient care. Introduction: The Ontario eConsult Program enables timely and equitable access to specialist advice for Ontarians. This study examines clinicians' perspectives and experiences with the program. Materials and Methods: We conducted an anonymous survey of PCPs registered for the Ontario eConsult Program. The survey ran from June to August 2019 and included questions on PCPs' experiences with the service, opinions on remuneration, and recommendations for enhancement. Results: One thousand two hundred fifty-six PCPs completed the survey (response rate of 16%). Seventy-eight percent had submitted an eConsult, of whom 67% were active users (i.e., had submitted ≥3 eConsults in the past 6 months). The majority of PCPs stated that their user experience was very good (57%) or good (31%), 74% agreed that eConsult improved their referral decision making, and 73% agreed that eConsult increased their ability to manage a broader array of diagnoses. Thirty-seven percent felt adequately compensated for using eConsult, 30% wanted higher rates of remuneration, and 31% were not compensated or were unaware of the fee code. Discussion: The majority of PCPs who use eConsult had positive experiences with the service. Nevertheless, improvements to further streamline the service's use, particularly through electronic medical record integration, were broadly cited as a desirable improvement. Conclusions: PCPs expressed an overall positive experience with the Ontario eConsult Program, citing prompt response times and improved care delivery as chief benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Claire Sethuram
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ariana Mihan
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Isabella Moroz
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
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Rikin S, Zhang C, Lipsey D, Deluca J, Epstein EJ, Berger M, Tomer Y, Arnsten JH. Impact of an Opt-In eConsult Program on Primary Care Demand for Specialty Visits: Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Implementation Study. J Gen Intern Med 2020; 35:832-838. [PMID: 32779140 PMCID: PMC7652962 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-06101-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND eConsult programs have been instituted to increase access to specialty expertise. Opt-in choice eConsult programs maintain primary care physician (PCP) autonomy to decide whether to utilize eConsults versus traditional specialty referrals, but little is known about how this intervention may impact PCP eConsult adoption and traditional referral demand. OBJECTIVE We assessed the feasibility of implementing an opt-in choice eConsult program and examined whether this intervention reduces demand for in-person visits for primary care patients requiring specialty expertise. DESIGN Stepped-wedge, cluster randomized trial conducted from July 2018 to June 2019. PARTICIPANTS Sixteen primary care practices in a large, urban academic health care system. INTERVENTION Our intervention was an opt-in choice eConsult available in addition to traditional specialty referral; our implementation strategy included in-person training, audit and feedback, and incentive payments. MAIN MEASURES Our implementation outcome measure was the eConsult rate: weekly proportion of eConsults per PCP visit at each site. Our intervention outcome measure was traditional referral rate: weekly proportion of referrals per PCP visit at each site. We also assessed PCP experiences with questionnaires. KEY RESULTS Of 305,915 in-person PCP visits, there were 31,510 traditional referrals to specialties participating in the eConsult program, and 679 eConsults. All but one primary care site utilized the opt-in choice eConsult program, with a weekly rate of 0.05 eConsults per 100 PCP visits by the end of the study period. The weekly rate of traditional referrals was 11 per 100 PCP visits at the end of the study period; this represents a significant increase in traditional referral rate after implementation of eConsults. PCPs were generally satisfied with the eConsult program and valued prompt provider-to-provider communication. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of an opt-in choice eConsult program resulted in widespread PCP adoption; however, this did not decrease the demand for traditional referrals. Future studies should evaluate different strategies to incentivize and increase eConsult utilization while maintaining PCP choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Rikin
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Chenshu Zhang
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Lipsey
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Deluca
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Eric J Epstein
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Matt Berger
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Yaron Tomer
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Julia H Arnsten
- Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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47
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Pfeil JN, Rados DV, Roman R, Katz N, Nunes LN, Vigo Á, Harzheim E. A telemedicine strategy to reduce waiting lists and time to specialist care: A retrospective cohort study. J Telemed Telecare 2020; 29:10-17. [DOI: 10.1177/1357633x20963935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Introduction The demand for specialty care is rising worldwide. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, more than 150,000 people were waiting for specialist consultations in 2013. A telemedicine programme (RegulaSUS) developed referral protocols, audited waitlisted cases, authorised/prioritised referrals by risk and discuss deferred cases primary-care physician. This study assesses the effectiveness of RegulaSUS. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis with contemporaneous controls was performed from June 2014 to June 2016. Six medical specialties included in RegulaSUS (50,185 patients) were compared to 50,124 control patients waitlisted according to the usual routine (scheduled for specialty consultation at the next available date). The groups were matched (1:1) by semester and year of waitlisting and by the specialty demand-to-supply ratio. Primary outcomes were referral-to-consultation time and number of waitlisted patients. Results The mean referral-to-consultation time was 584.8 days in the intervention group and 607.0 days in controls ( p<0.001). For specialties regulated by RegulaSUS, the mean referral-to-consultation time was 237.6 days for higher-risk patients. At the end of the observation, 26,708 control patients had been unlisted compared to 31,050 patients in the intervention group (reduction of 53.5% vs. 61.9%, respectively; p<0.001). The number of cancelled referrals was lower in the control group ( n=14,403; 28.7%) than in the intervention group ( n=16,387; 32.7%; p<0.001). Discussion Telemedicine support for primary care effectively decreased the time to specialty consultation, reduced the number of waitlisted patients and allowed sicker patients to reach a specialist faster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana N Pfeil
- Núcleo de Telessaúde Técnico Científico do Rio Grande do Sul (TelessaúdeRS-UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Dimitris V Rados
- Núcleo de Telessaúde Técnico Científico do Rio Grande do Sul (TelessaúdeRS-UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rudi Roman
- Núcleo de Telessaúde Técnico Científico do Rio Grande do Sul (TelessaúdeRS-UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Natan Katz
- Núcleo de Telessaúde Técnico Científico do Rio Grande do Sul (TelessaúdeRS-UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciana N Nunes
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Álvaro Vigo
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Erno Harzheim
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Hellingman T, Swart MED, Meijerink MR, Schreurs WH, Zonderhuis BM, Kazemier G. Optimization of transmural care by implementation of an online expert panel to assess treatment strategy in patients suffering from colorectal cancer liver metastases: A prospective analysis. J Telemed Telecare 2020; 28:559-567. [PMID: 33019855 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x20957136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Centralization of oncological care results in a growing demand for specialized consultations and referrals. Improved telemedicine solutions are needed to facilitate access to specialist care and select patients eligible for referral. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to optimize transmural care for patients suffering from colorectal cancer liver metastases through implementation of an online expert panel. METHODS A digital communication platform was developed to share medical data, including high-quality diagnostic imaging of patients suffering from colorectal cancer liver metastases. Feasibility of local treatment strategies was assessed by a panel of liver specialists to select patients for referral. After implementation, an observational cohort study was conducted to evaluate quality improvement in transmural care using revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence guidelines. RESULTS From September 2016-September 2018, eight hospitals were connected to the platform, covering a population of 3 m. In total, 123 cases were assessed, of which 54 (43.9%) were prevented from needless physical referral. Assessment of treatment strategy by an online expert panel significantly reduced the average lead time during multidisciplinary team meetings from 3.73 min to 2.12 min per patient (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Implementation of an online expert panel is an innovative, accessible and user-friendly way to provide cancer-specific expertise to regional hospitals. E-consultation of such panels may result in more efficient multidisciplinary team meetings and prevent fragile patients from needless referral. Sustainability of these panels however is subject to structural financial compensation, so a cost-effectiveness analysis is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Hellingman
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Merijn E de Swart
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijn R Meijerink
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Barbara M Zonderhuis
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geert Kazemier
- Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Lee M, Leonard C, Greene P, Kenney R, Whittington MD, Kirsh S, Ho PM, Sayre G, Simonetti J. Perspectives of VA Primary Care Clinicians Toward Electronic Consultation-Related Workload Burden: A Qualitative Analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2018104. [PMID: 33125494 PMCID: PMC7599439 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.18104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Electronic consultation (e-consultation) is increasingly being adopted to expand access to specialty care and reduce health care costs. Little is known about clinicians' perceptions of using e-consultations, which may be associated with program adoption. OBJECTIVE To identify perceptions of primary care clinicians in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system about e-consultation and workload. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A qualitative study using semistructured interviews was conducted from September 2017 through March 2018 in a national sample of VHA primary care clinics in the US. Participants were primary care clinicians who had at least 300 total patient encounters from July 2016 to June 2017, including at least 1 e-consultation request. A convenience sample of participants was recruited using email invitations. Deductive and inductive content analysis were used to identify themes. Data were analyzed from October 2017 to April 2018. EXPOSURES Use of e-consultation. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary care clinician perspectives regarding e-consultation and their workload. RESULTS A total of 34 primary care clinicians enrolled working across 27 VHA clinical sites were included; 9 (26%) were between ages 40-49 years; 23 (68%) were female. Three themes were identified. First, the process of entering, tracking, and following up on e-consultations added a time burden to primary care clinicians. Second, e-consultation was perceived to shift diagnostic and follow-up responsibilities from specialists to primary care clinicians. Third, e-consultations were thought to improve the timeliness and quality of care provided despite a perceived increase in workload. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, participants perceived e-consultation as valuable for patient care but also as an increase in their workload. Further work is warranted to quantify the workload increase on clinician burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcie Lee
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
| | - Chelsea Leonard
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
| | - Preston Greene
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Rachael Kenney
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
| | - Melanie D. Whittington
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Susan Kirsh
- Office of Specialty Care and Specialty Care Transformation, Washington, DC
| | - P. Michael Ho
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
- Division of Cardiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - George Sayre
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joseph Simonetti
- Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora
- Division of Hospital Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
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50
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Houchens N, Gupta A. Quality and safety in the literature: September 2020. BMJ Qual Saf 2020; 29:780-784. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2020-011887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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