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Peeters KMM, Reichel LAM, Muris DMJ, Cals JWL. Family Physician-to-Hospital Specialist Electronic Consultation and Access to Hospital Care: A Systematic Review. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2351623. [PMID: 38214930 PMCID: PMC10787322 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.51623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Globally, health care systems face challenges in managing health care costs while maintaining access to hospital care, quality of care, and a good work balance for caregivers. Electronic consultations (e-consultations)-defined as asynchronous, consultative communication between family physicians and hospital specialists-may offer advantages to face these challenges. Objective To provide a quantitative synthesis of the association of e-consultation with access to hospital care and the avoidance of hospital referrals. Evidence Review A systematic search through PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase was conducted. Eligible studies included original research studies published from January 2010 to March 2023 in English, Dutch, or German that reported on outcomes associated with access to hospital care and the avoidance of hospital referrals. Reference lists of included articles were searched for additional studies. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) scores were assigned to assess quality of evidence. Findings The search strategy resulted in 583 records, of which 72 studies were eligible for data extraction after applying exclusion criteria. Most studies were observational, focused on multispecialty services, and were performed in either Canada or the US. Outcomes on access to hospital care and the avoidance of referrals indicated that e-consultation was associated with improved access to hospital care and an increase in avoided referrals to the hospital specialist, although outcomes greatly differed across studies. GRADE scores were low or very low across studies. Conclusions and Relevance In this systematic review of the association of e-consultation with access to hospital care and the avoidance of hospital referrals, results indicated that the use of e-consultation has greatly increased over the years. Although e-consultation was associated with improved access to hospital care and avoidance of hospital referrals, it was hard to draw a conclusion about these outcomes due to heterogeneity and lack of high-quality evidence (eg, from randomized clinical trials). Nevertheless, these results suggest that e-consultation seems to be a promising digital health care implementation, but more rigorous studies are needed; nonrandomized trial designs should be used, and appropriate outcomes should be chosen in future research on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken M. M. Peeters
- Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Zuyderland Medical Centre, Sittard, the Netherlands
- Omnes Medical Coordinating Centre for Diagnostics and Innovation, Sittard, the Netherlands
| | - Loïs A. M. Reichel
- Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis M. J. Muris
- Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Omnes Medical Coordinating Centre for Diagnostics and Innovation, Sittard, the Netherlands
- Public Health Service South Limburg, Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Jochen W. L. Cals
- Department of Family Medicine, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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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. Curr Dermatol Rep 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Downes MH, Morgenstern R, Naasan G, Patterson S, Pace A, Agarwal P, Shin S, Abrams R, Mueller B, Young J, Tamler R, Vickrey BG, Kummer BR. Healthcare utilization impacts of an eConsult program for headache at an academic medical center. J Telemed Telecare 2023:1357633X231207908. [PMID: 37901905 DOI: 10.1177/1357633x231207908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Interprofessional consultations ("eConsults") can reduce healthcare utilization. However, the impact of eConsults on healthcare utilization remains poorly characterized among patients with headache. METHODS We performed a retrospective, 1:1 matched cohort study comparing patients evaluated for headache via eConsult request or in-person referral at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Groups were matched on clinical and demographic characteristics. Our primary outcome was one or more outpatient headache-related encounters in 6 months following referral date. Secondary outcomes included one or more all-cause outpatient neurology and headache-related emergency department (ED) encounters during the same period. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to model associations between independent variables and outcomes. RESULTS We identified 74 patients with headache eConsults who were matched to 74 patients with in-person referrals. Patients in the eConsult group were less likely to achieve the primary outcome (29.7% vs 62.2%, P < 0.0001) or have an all-cause outpatient neurology encounter (33.8% vs 79.7%, P < 0.0001) than patients in the comparison group. Both groups did not significantly differ by headache-related ED encounters. In multivariable analyses, patients in the eConsult group had significantly lower odds of having one or more headache-related or all-cause neurology encounters than patients in the comparison group (odds ratio (OR) 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.6; OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.1-0.3, respectively). DISCUSSION In comparison to in-person referrals, eConsult requests for headache were associated with reduced likelihood of outpatient neurology encounters in the short-term but not with differential use of headache-related ED encounters. Larger-scale, prospective studies should validate our findings and assess patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachelle Morgenstern
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Georges Naasan
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shanna Patterson
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Pace
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Parul Agarwal
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Susan Shin
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rory Abrams
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bridget Mueller
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - James Young
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald Tamler
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Clinical Informatics, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA
| | - Barbara G Vickrey
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin R Kummer
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Clinical Informatics, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA
- Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Bradley C, Smith L, Youens K, White BAA, Couchman G. Formalizing the curbside: digitally enhancing access to specialty care. Proc AMIA Symp 2023; 36:716-720. [PMID: 37829223 PMCID: PMC10566420 DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2023.2240364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Asynchronous medical care has increased in utilization, patient interest, and industry demand. While E-consults have been discussed extensively in the literature, there are rare examples of a multispecialty implementation within a large health system. Here, we describe our experience in implementing an internal E-consult program for asynchronous, nonurgent communication between ambulatory specialists and primary care providers in our large multispecialty regional health system. To ensure adoption of the program, patient, specialist, and primary care physician concerns were systematically addressed. The program commenced in February 2022 with three high referral rate specialties: cardiology, orthopedics, and dermatology. In the 12 months after implementation, 2243 total E-consults were ordered among 505 ordering providers. Dermatology received the most consultations, and we have expanded to 19 specialties and subspecialties available in the program in the first year. Our E-consult implementation experienced substantial growth in a short time period, demonstrating the viability of E-consult utilization for increasing asynchronous access to ambulatory specialists' expertise in a large healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bradley
- Baylor Scott and White Health Family Medicine Lakewood, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - LaPortia Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Round Rock, Round Rock, Texas, USA
| | - Kenneth Youens
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Temple, Temple, Texas, USA
| | - Bobbie Ann Adair White
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Glen Couchman
- Department of Family Medicine, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Temple, Temple, Texas, USA
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