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Bhat S, Lyu R, Agarwal M, Becker M, Bloomfeld R, Bruining DH, Cohen BL, Ivanov M, Leighton JA, Stewart AP, Trocke L, Tse SS, Ungaro RC, Vaughn BP, Regueiro M, Sokn E, Rieder F. Defining the Roles of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Pharmacists in the United States: A Systematic Review and National RAND/UCLA Consensus. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2024; 30:950-959. [PMID: 37650888 PMCID: PMC11145011 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izad143] [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: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the complexity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care, utilization of multidisciplinary teams is recommended to optimize outcomes. There is a growing recognition that clinical pharmacists should be an integral part of this care model. We sought to define the roles of IBD clinical pharmacists in the United States. METHODS A national multidisciplinary expert panel of 12 gastroenterologists and clinical pharmacists practicing in IBD clinics was assembled. We used the RAND/University of California, Los Angeles appropriateness method, with a total of 281 statements generated based on a systematic literature review and expert opinion. Each statement was anonymously rated as appropriate, uncertain, or inappropriate in 2 rounds of voting. RESULTS The number of publications evaluating the clinical pharmacists' roles in IBD is limited, primarily focusing on thiopurine initiation and monitoring, medication adherence, and switching to biosimilars. Medication education; medication initiation and monitoring; therapeutic drug monitoring; biosimilar management; health maintenance review; and transitions of care were deemed by the panel to be appropriate roles for IBD clinical pharmacists. In considering real-world settings, IBD clinical pharmacists should practice clinically under a predefined scope and primarily focus on complex treatments (eg, immunomodulators, biologics, and small molecules). Clinical pharmacists should also be included in practice settings with IBD specialized physicians. Additionally, clinical pharmacists caring for patients with IBD should be residency trained and board certified. CONCLUSIONS This consensus defines IBD clinical pharmacists' roles and provides a framework for embedded clinical pharmacists in IBD care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubha Bhat
- Department of Pharmacy, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
| | - Ruishen Lyu
- Department of Quantitative Health Science, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
| | - Mitali Agarwal
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
| | | | - Richard Bloomfeld
- Section of Gastroenterology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - David H Bruining
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Benjamin L Cohen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
| | - Marina Ivanov
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Jonathan A Leighton
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Alyssa P Stewart
- Department of Pharmacy, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Lindsay Trocke
- Department of Gastroenterology, M Health Fairview, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stacy S Tse
- Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ryan C Ungaro
- Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Byron P Vaughn
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Miguel Regueiro
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
| | - Erick Sokn
- Department of Pharmacy, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Florian Rieder
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH, USA
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Meeker D, Friedberg MW, Knight TK, Doctor JN, Zein D, Cayasso-McIntosh N, Goldstein NJ, Fox CR, Linder JA, Persell SD, Dea S, Giboney P, Yee HF. Effect of Peer Benchmarking on Specialist Electronic Consult Performance in a Los Angeles Safety-Net: a Cluster Randomized Trial. J Gen Intern Med 2022; 37:1400-1407. [PMID: 34505234 PMCID: PMC8428492 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-07002-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the advent of COVID-19, accelerated adoption of systems that reduce face-to-face encounters has outpaced training and best practices. Electronic consultations (eConsults), structured communications between PCPs and specialists regarding a case, have been effective in reducing face-to-face specialist encounters. As the health system rapidly adapts to multiple new practices and communication tools, new mechanisms to measure and improve performance in this context are needed. OBJECTIVE To test whether feedback comparing physicians to top performing peers using co-specialists' ratings improves performance. DESIGN Cluster-randomized controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: Eighty facility-specialty clusters and 214 clinicians INTERVENTION: Providers in the feedback arms were sent messages that announced their membership in an elite group of "Top Performers" or provided actionable recommendations with feedback for providers that were "Not Top Performers." MAIN MEASURES The primary outcomes were changes in peer ratings in the following performance dimensions after feedback was received: (1) elicitation of information from primary care practitioners; (2) adherence to institutional clinical guidelines; (3) agreement with peer's medical decision-making; (4) educational value; (5) relationship building. KEY RESULTS Specialists showed significant improvements on 3 of the 5 consultation performance dimensions: medical decision-making (odds ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.14, p<.05), educational value (1.86, 1.17-2.96) and relationship building (1.63, 1.13-2.35) (both p<.01). CONCLUSIONS The pandemic has shed light on clinicians' commitment to professionalism and service as we rapidly adapt to changing paradigms. Interventions that appeal to professional norms can help improve the efficacy of new systems of practice. We show that specialists' performance can be measured and improved with feedback using aspirational norms. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov NCT03784950.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Meeker
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar St, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
| | - Mark W Friedberg
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tara K Knight
- Sol Price School of Public Policy & Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason N Doctor
- Sol Price School of Public Policy & Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dina Zein
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar St, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | | | - Noah J Goldstein
- Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Craig R Fox
- Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Linder
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephen D Persell
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stanley Dea
- Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul Giboney
- Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hal F Yee
- Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Singh J, Garber GE, Keely E, Guglani S, Liddy C. Evaluation of an Electronic Consultation Service for COVID-19 Care. Ann Fam Med 2022; 20:220-226. [PMID: 35606132 PMCID: PMC9199057 DOI: 10.1370/afm.2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE COVID-19 has increased the need for innovative virtual care solutions. Electronic consultation (eConsult) services allow primary care practitioners to pose clinical questions to specialists using a secure remote application. We examined eConsult cases submitted to a COVID-19 specialist group in order to assess usage patterns, impact on response times and referrals, and the content of clinical questions being asked. METHODS This was a mixed-methods analysis of eConsult cases submitted between March and September 2020 in Ontario, Canada to 2 services. We performed a descriptive analysis of the average response time and the total time spent by the specialist for eConsults. Primary care practitioners completed a post-eConsult questionnaire that asked about the outcome of the eConsult. We performed an inductive and deductive content analysis of a subset of cases to identify common themes among the clinical questions asked. RESULTS A total of 208 primary care practitioners submitted 289 eConsult cases. The median specialist response time was 0.6 days (range = 3 minutes to 15 days); the average time spent by specialists per case was 16 minutes (range = 5 to 59 minutes). In 69 cases (24%), the eConsult enabled avoidance of a face-to-face referral. Content analysis of 51 cases identified 5 major themes: precautions for high-risk and special populations, diagnostic clarification and/or need for COVID-19 testing, guidance on self-isolation and return to work, guidance on personal protective equipment, and management of chronic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the considerable potential of eConsults during a pandemic as our service was quickly implemented across Ontario and resulted in primary care practitioners' rapid and low-barrier access to specialist input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatinderpreet Singh
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gary E Garber
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, 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
| | - Sheena Guglani
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clare Liddy
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Liddy C, Guglani S, Ratzlaff T, Campbell RJ, Cranston L, Miville A, Hove MT, Keely E. Expanding the scope of an eConsult service: acceptability and feasibility of an optometry–ophthalmology pilot project. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022; 58:204-211. [PMID: 35131208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility and acceptability of connecting optometrists to ophthalmologists on an eConsult service. DESIGN Descriptive analysis of utilization data and an anonymous survey. PARTICIPANTS All eConsult cases sent by optometrists between March 2019 and February 2020 (utilization data); optometrists and ophthalmologists participating in the eConsult Vision Pilot Project (survey). METHODS Utilization data for the study period were collected automatically and underwent descriptive analysis. Participating optometrists and ophthalmologists received an email invitation to a survey assessing the project. RESULTS Thirteen optometrists from 5 clinics in the southeast region and 7 ophthalmologists were recruited to participate in the pilot project. Optometrists sent 109 eConsults in a 13-month period, representing 33% of all cases submitted to ophthalmology through the eConsult service provincially (March 2019-March 2020). Sixty-eight percent of respondents to an anonymous online survey valued the recruitment and engagement of eye care professionals from the same health region. The influence of the eConsult service was reported to have a "somewhat positive" (27%) to "very positive" (50%) influence on the relationship between the two professional groups. CONCLUSION The eConsult Vision Pilot Project fills a gap in service and provides an opportunity for patients to get access to specialty advice. We demonstrated that allowing optometrists to solicit specialist advice from ophthalmologists was acceptable and feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Liddy
- C. T. Lamont Primary Healthcare Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON; Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON; eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
| | - Sheena Guglani
- C. T. Lamont Primary Healthcare Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON; eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON
| | - Timothy Ratzlaff
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queens University and Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, ON
| | - Robert J Campbell
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queens University and Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, ON
| | - Lacey Cranston
- Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, Queen's University, Kingston, ON
| | - Andrea Miville
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON
| | - Martin Ten Hove
- Department of Ophthalmology, Queens University and Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, ON
| | - Erin Keely
- eConsult Centre of Excellence, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON; Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON
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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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Philpot LM, Ramar P, Sanchez W, Ebbert JO, Loftus CG. Effect of Integrated Gastroenterology Specialists in a Primary Care Setting: a Retrospective Cohort Study. J Gen Intern Med 2021; 36:1279-1284. [PMID: 33219446 PMCID: PMC8131457 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-020-06346-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal (GI) complaints are common in primary care practices. The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) may improve coordination and collaboration by facilitating coordination across healthcare settings and within the community, enhancing communication between providers, and focusing on quality of care delivery. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of integrated community gastroenterology specialists (ICS-GI) model within a large primary care practice. DESIGN Retrospective cohort with propensity-matched historic controls. PATIENTS We identified 265 patients who had a visit with one of our ICS-GI specialists and matched them (1:2) to 530 similar patients seen prior to the implementation of the ICS-GI model. MAIN MEASURES Frequency of diagnostic testing for GI indications, visits to our outpatient GI referral practice, emergency department and hospital utilization, and time to access of specialty care for the whole population and by GI condition group. KEY RESULTS Patients seen in our ICS-GI model had similar outpatient care utilization (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.4, p = 0.90), were more likely to have visits in primary care (OR OR=1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.2, p = 0.02), and were less likely to have visits to our GI outpatient referral practice (OR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.7, p < 0.0001). Condition-specific analyses show that all GI conditions experienced decreased visits to the outpatient GI referral practice outside of patients with GI neoplasm. Populations did not differ in emergency department, hospital, or diagnostic utilization. CONCLUSIONS We observed that an embedded specialist in primary care model is associated with improved care coordination without compromising patient safety. The PCMH could be extended to include subspecialty care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Philpot
- Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery , Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Priya Ramar
- Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery , Rochester, MN, USA
| | - William Sanchez
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jon O Ebbert
- Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery , Rochester, MN, USA.,Community Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Conor G Loftus
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, MN, USA
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Singh J, Lou A, Green M, Keely E, Greenaway M, Liddy C. Evaluation of an electronic consultation service for transgender care. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2021; 22:55. [PMID: 33743596 PMCID: PMC7980551 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-021-01401-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Access to transgender care in Canada is poor. Although primary care providers are ideally positioned to initiate care, many feel uncomfortable providing transgender care. This study aimed to explore the impact of an electronic consultation (eConsult) service between primary care providers and transgender care specialists on access to care and to explore the content of clinical questions that were asked. METHODS This was a retrospective mixed methods analysis of 62 eConsults submitted between January 2017 and December 2018 by primary care providers to specialists in transgender care in a health region in eastern Ontario, Canada. A descriptive analysis was conducted to assess the average response time and the total time spent by the specialist for the eConsults. An inductive and deductive content analysis was carried out to identify common themes of clinical questions being asked to transgender specialists. A post-eConsult survey completed by primary care providers was assessed to gain insight into avoided face-to-face referrals and overall provider satisfaction. RESULTS The median specialist response time was 1.2 days (range: 1 h to 5 days) and the average time spent by specialists per eConsult was 18 min (range: 10 to 40 min). The qualitative analysis identified six major themes: 1) interpretation/management of abnormal bloodwork, 2) change in management due to lack of desired effect/hormone levels not a target, 3) initiation of hormone therapy/initial work up, 4) management of adverse effects of hormone therapy, 5) transition related surgery counseling and post-op complications, and 6) management of patients with comorbidities. Approximately one-third of eConsults resulted in an avoided face-to-face referral and 95% of primary care providers rated the value of their eConsult as a 5 (excellent value) or 4. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that a transgender eConsult service has potential to significantly improve access to care for transgender patients. Given the importance that timely access has on improving mental health and reducing suicide attempts, eConsult has the potential to make a substantial clinical impact on this population. Identified themes of eConsult questions provides insight into potential gaps in knowledge amongst primary care providers that could help inform future continuing education events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatinderpreet Singh
- Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. .,C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | | | - Michael Green
- Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Erin Keely
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Clare Liddy
- C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Vimalananda VG, Orlander JD, Afable MK, Fincke BG, Solch AK, Rinne ST, Kim EJ, Cutrona SL, Thomas DD, Strymish JL, Simon SR. Electronic consultations (E-consults) and their outcomes: a systematic review. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021; 27:471-479. [PMID: 31621847 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocz185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Electronic consultations (e-consults) are clinician-to-clinician communications that may obviate face-to-face specialist visits. E-consult programs have spread within the US and internationally despite limited data on outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the recent peer-reviewed literature on the effect of e-consults on access, cost, quality, and patient and clinician experience and identified the gaps in existing research on these outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched 4 databases for empirical studies published between 1/1/2015 and 2/28/2019 that reported on one or more outcomes of interest. Two investigators reviewed titles and abstracts. One investigator abstracted information from each relevant article, and another confirmed the abstraction. We applied the GRADE criteria for the strength of evidence for each outcome. RESULTS We found only modest empirical evidence for effectiveness of e-consults on important outcomes. Most studies are observational and within a single health care system, and comprehensive assessments are lacking. For those outcomes that have been reported, findings are generally positive, with mixed results for clinician experience. These findings reassure but also raise concern for publication bias. CONCLUSION Despite stakeholder enthusiasm and encouraging results in the literature to date, more rigorous study designs applied across all outcomes are needed. Policy makers need to know what benefits may be expected in what contexts, so they can define appropriate measures of success and determine how to achieve them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varsha G Vimalananda
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jay D Orlander
- Department of General Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Melissa K Afable
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Quality, Safety and Value, Partners Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - B Graeme Fincke
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Section of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda K Solch
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Seppo T Rinne
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Section of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eun Ji Kim
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of General Internal Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra Northwell, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - Sarah L Cutrona
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Health Informatics and Implementation Science, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dylan D Thomas
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Bedford VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.,Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Judith L Strymish
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven R Simon
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Geriatrics and Extended Care Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Goyal H, Gajendran M, Boregowda U, Perisetti A, Aziz M, Bansal P, Inamdar S, Tharian B. Current and future implications of COVID-19 on gastroenterology training and clinical practice. Int J Clin Pract 2020; 74:e13717. [PMID: 32955773 PMCID: PMC7537026 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.13717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected almost every country on the globe, affecting 185 countries with more than 2.6 million cases and 182,000 deaths as of April 22, 2020. The United States (US) has seen an exponential surge in the COVID-19 patients and has become the epicentre with more than 845,000 confirmed cases and 46,000 deaths. The governments and healthcare providers all over the world are racing with time to reduce the rate of increase in active cases by social distancing to flatten the curve of this pandemic. Practicing gastroenterologists are facing multiple challenges in the safe practice of medicine because of patient's inability to visit physicians' offices, endoscopy centers and the threat of potential virus spread through gastrointestinal secretions by endoscopies in emergent cases. The gastroenterological associations from Europe and North America have made position statements to guide gastroenterologists to navigate through the clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gastroenterology fellows are on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing personal, physical and economic stresses. They had to balance the programmatic changes to meet the demands of the patient care with the additional pressure to meet training requirements. Given the imperatives for social and physical distancing, training programmes have to implement innovative educational methods to substitute traditional teaching. Healthcare organisations must synchronise institutional workforce needs with trainee safety, education and well-being. In this perspective, we have discussed the challenges that can be anticipated and implementing strategies to support fellows during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Goyal
- The Wright Center for Graduate Medical EducationScrantonPAUSA
| | - Mahesh Gajendran
- Department of Internal MedicinePaul L Foster School of MedicineTexas Tech UniversityEl PasoTXUSA
| | | | - Abhilash Perisetti
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockARUSA
| | - Muhammad Aziz
- Department of Internal MedicineThe University of ToledoToledoOHUSA
| | - Pardeep Bansal
- Division of GastroenterologyMoses Taylor Hospital and Reginal Hospital of ScrantonScrantonPAUSA
| | - Sumant Inamdar
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockARUSA
| | - Benjamin Tharian
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockARUSA
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Tang Z, Dubois S, Soon C, Agrawal D. A model for the pandemic and beyond: Telemedicine for all outpatient gastroenterology referrals reduces unnecessary clinic visits. J Telemed Telecare 2020; 28:577-582. [PMID: 32954940 PMCID: PMC9361028 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x20957224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has forced providers to
dramatically scale down in-person clinic visits to enforce social distancing and
triage care to the neediest patients. We describe our five-month experience with
a hybrid gastroenterology electronic consultation programme starting in 2019 in
which we perform electronic consultations for every referral regardless of
indication as well as directly initiate telephone-based telehealth visits with
patients without the need for in-person clinic. Over five consecutive months,
1243 hybrid electronic consultations were performed with 356 (29%) resulting in
a clinic appointment. The remaining 887 (71%) electronic consultations were
resolved without need for a clinic visit. Five hundred and fourteen (41%)
electronic consultations resulted in a directly scheduled procedure without
clinic appointment. Eighty-five per cent of electronic consultations were
performed on the same day of referral and 98% of electronic consultations were
completed in under 20 min. A hybrid electronic consultation model which
pre-emptively reviews all outpatient referrals streamlines access to specialty
care. Such a model may be implemented rapidly during the current coronavirus
disease 2019 pandemic as well as serve as a platform for long-term improvement
in efficiency of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhouwen Tang
- Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, USA
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11
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Kamiński M, Łoniewski I, Marlicz W. "Dr. Google, I am in Pain"-Global Internet Searches Associated with Pain: A Retrospective Analysis of Google Trends Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E954. [PMID: 32033087 PMCID: PMC7037174 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to rank the most common locations of pain among Google users globally and locally and analyze secular and seasonal trends in pain-related searches in the years 2004-2019. We used data generated by Google Trends (GT) to identify and analyze global interest in topics (n = 24) related to locations of pain and how these progressed over time. We analyzed secular trends and time series decomposition to identify seasonal variations. We also calculated the interest in all topics with reference to the relative search volume (RSV) of "Abdominal pain". Google users were most commonly interested in "Headache" (1.30 [times more frequently than "Abdominal pain"]), "Abdominal pain" (1.00), and "Back pain" (0.84). "Headache" was the most frequent search term in n = 41 countries, while "Abdominal pain" was the most frequent term in n = 27 countries. The interest in all pain-related topics except "Dyspareunia" increased over time. The sharpest increase was observed for "Abdominal pain" (5.67 RSV/year), and "Toothache" (5.52 RSV/year). Most of the topics revealed seasonal variations. Among pain-related topics, "Headache," "Abdominal pain," and "Back pain" interested most Google users. GT is a novel tool that allows retrospective investigation of complaints among Internet users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Kamiński
- Sanprobi Sp.z.o.o. Sp.K., 70-535 Szczecin, Poland
- Faculty of Medicine I, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-780 Poznan, Poland
| | - Igor Łoniewski
- Department of Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Wojciech Marlicz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland;
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12
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Bhavsar I, Wang J, Burke SM, Dowdell K, Hays RA, Intagliata NM. Electronic Consultations to Hepatologists Reduce Wait Time for Visits, Improve Communication, and Result in Cost Savings. Hepatol Commun 2019; 3:1177-1182. [PMID: 31497739 PMCID: PMC6719752 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Wang
- University of Virginia Health System Charlottesville VA
| | - Sean M Burke
- University of Virginia Health System Charlottesville VA
| | | | - R Ann Hays
- University of Virginia Health System Charlottesville VA
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