Electronic consultation impact from the primary care clinician perspective: Outcomes from a national sample

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 493-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Nwando Olayiwola ◽  
Anna Potapov ◽  
Alden Gordon ◽  
Jaime Jurado ◽  
Candy Magana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Educational Value ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
Quadruple Aim ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Primary Care Clinicians ◽  
Store And Forward

Introduction Electronic consultations (eConsults) provide asynchronous, store-and-forward communication between primary care clinicians (PCCs) and specialists using web-based platforms, electronic health records or mobile applications. eConsults have demonstrated benefits in many areas of the Quadruple Aim, including educational value for PCCs. In this study, we explored the connection between eConsults and the Quadruple Aim using a unique national dataset of PCC-reported eConsult outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective study analysing registry data from the RubiconMD electronic consultation platform used by PCCs in 34 US states. We analysed PCC-reported outcomes from eConsults that took place between March 2017 and January 2018. PCCs were asked to select one or more of the following options after each eConsult: improved care plan, educational, avoided unnecessary diagnostics/procedures, avoided referral altogether or to wrong specialty, or no effect. Results PCCs reported an outcome for 3872 eConsults. eConsults for dermatology, endocrinology, and haematology-oncology were most common. Over one in four PCCs reported that the eConsult avoided a referral altogether or to the wrong specialty (26.3%) and avoided unnecessary diagnostics/procedures (26.1%). In 75% of eConsults, PCCs reported an improved care plan. Fifty percent reported that the eConsult was educational. Discussion PCCs in diverse practice settings reported substantial benefits from eConsults. In over half of eConsults, PCCs reported that the eConsult avoided unnecessary diagnostics/procedures, avoided a referral altogether or avoided a referral to the wrong specialty. Findings suggest that eConsults demonstrate important educational benefits, but may also influence PCC decision-making in a way that yields tremendous cost-saving potential and improved patient experience.

scholarly journals Development of an interactive, web-based shared care plan to facilitate the follow-up care of colorectal cancer patients

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Taggart ◽  
Melvin Chin ◽  
Winston Liauw ◽  
Alex Dolezal ◽  
John Plahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Shared Care ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Care Plans ◽  
Cancer Services ◽  
Follow Up Care ◽  
Primary Care Practitioners

Abstract Introduction A shared model of care between cancer services and primary health care is safe and acceptable and can address the increasing demands on cancer services for long term follow-up. This paper describes the challenges developing an interactive shared care plan for colorectal cancer follow-up care that supports collaboration between the care team and patient. Methods A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify web-based care plans for follow-up cancer care that would inform the implementation of a system to share an individualised care plan. We conducted individual consultations with 25 key informants/stakeholders to understand the requirements and challenges of establishing the web-based care plan and to identify the technical options to share the care plan. This was followed by a structured group consultation with 13 key stakeholders to obtain agreement on the model of care and the technical solution to share the care plan. Results We identified five web-based shared care plans for cancer follow-up care. These systems supported the creation and/or access to view or share the care plan via internet log-in, email or hard copy. None of the SCP had interactive functionalities to support collaboration and none of the included papers reported formalised models of shared care between cancer services and primary care. The challenges identified included the security, privacy and sharing of patient information between public health services and primary health care and poor integration of clinical information systems. A primary care practitioners’ care planning system was selected for the pilot as it addressed the challenge of sharing clinical information between the public health system and external clinicians, partially addressed integration (integrated with the primary care clinical information systems but did not integrate with the cancer centre systems), supported collaboration between the care team and patient and was relatively inexpensive. Conclusion Primary care shared care planning systems seem a suitable option for sharing clinical information between a cancer service and primary care practitioners. We plan to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this interactive shared care plan to support shared cancer follow-up care.

scholarly journals eConsults and Learning Between Primary Care Providers and Specialists

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 567-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Liddy ◽  
Tala Abu-Hijleh ◽  
Justin Joschko ◽  
Douglas Archibald ◽  
Erin Keely
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
Educational Tools ◽  
Educational Value ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Poor Access

Background and Objectives: Patients in many countries face poor access to specialist care. Electronic consultation (eConsult) improves access by allowing primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists to communicate electronically. As more countries adopt eConsult services, there has been growing interest in leveraging them as educational tools. Our study aimed to assess PCPs’ perspectives on eConsult’s ability to improve collegiality between providers and serve as an educational tool. Methods: We conducted a qualitative content analysis of free-text comments left by PCPs using the Champlain BASE eConsult service based in Eastern Ontario, Canada. All responses provided between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2017 that mentioned education or collegiality were included. Results: PCPs completed 16,712 closeout surveys during the study period, of which 3,601 (22%) included free-text comments. Of these, 223 (6%) included references to education or collegiality. Three prominent themes emerged from the data: building provider relationships, teaching incorporated into answer, and prompting further learning. Conclusions: PCPs described eConsult’s ability to foster stronger relationships with specialists, deliver responses that provided teaching in multiple areas of their practice, and support further learning that extended beyond the case at hand and into their overall practice. The Champlain BASE eConsult service has educational value for providers. Further study is underway to explore how questions and replies submitted through eConsult can be used to facilitate reflective learning and promote feedback to providers.

scholarly journals Development of an interactive, web-based shared care plan to facilitate the follow-up care of colorectal cancer patients

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Taggart ◽  
Melvin Chin ◽  
Winston Liauw ◽  
John Lewis ◽  
Alex Dolezal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Shared Care ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Care Plans ◽  
Cancer Services ◽  
Follow Up Care ◽  
Primary Care Practitioners

Abstract Introduction A shared model of care between cancer services and primary health care is safe and acceptable and can address the increasing demands on cancer services for long term follow-up. This paper describes the challenges developing an interactive shared care plan for colorectal cancer follow-up care. Methods A systematic literature review identified the use, functionality, and impact of web-based shared care plans to support cancer follow-up. Workshops with key stakeholders and consultations with clinicians, consumers and information service providers were conducted to agree on a model of care and technology options to interactively share a care plan. Results Seventeen papers reported five web-based shared care plan systems for cancer follow-up. These systems supported the creation and/or access to view or share the care plans using email or by downloading and printing a copy. The challenges we found included issues with the security, privacy and sharing of patient information between public health services and primary health care and poor integration of clinical information systems. We selected a primary care practitioners’ care planning system as it was interactive, integrated with primary care practitioner’ clinical information systems, was relatively inexpensive and addressed the sharing of clinical information with external clinicians to the public health system. Conclusion Primary care shared care planning systems seem a suitable option for sharing clinical information between a cancer service and primary care practitioners. We plan to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this interactive shared care plan to support shared cancer follow-up care.

scholarly journals Perspectives of VA Primary Care Clinicians Toward Electronic Consultation-Related Workload Burden

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. e2018104
Author(s):  
Marcie Lee ◽  
Chelsea Leonard ◽  
Preston Greene ◽  
Rachael Kenney ◽  
Melanie D. Whittington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Primary Care Clinicians

Electronic consultation system demonstrates educational benefit for primary care providers

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 465-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Kwok ◽  
J Nwando Olayiwola ◽  
Margae Knox ◽  
Elizabeth J Murphy ◽  
Delphine S Tuot
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Physician Assistants ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Referral System ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Educational Value ◽  
Electronic Consultation ◽  
Consultation And Referral

Background Electronic consultation systems allow primary care providers to receive timely speciality expertise via iterative electronic communication. The use of such systems is expanding across the USA with well-documented high levels of user satisfaction. We characterise the educational impact for primary care providers of a long-standing integrated electronic consultation and referral system. Methods Primary care providers’ perceptions of the educational value inherent to electronic consultation system communication and the impact on their ability to manage common speciality clinical conditions and questions were examined by electronic survey using five-point Likert scales. Differences in primary care providers’ perceptions were examined overall and by primary care providers’ speciality, provider type and years of experience. Results Among 221 primary care provider participants (35% response rate), 83.9% agreed or strongly agreed that the integrated electronic consultation and referral system provided educational value. There were no significant differences in educational value reported by provider type (attending physician, mid-level provider, or trainee physician), primary care providers’ speciality, or years of experience. Perceived benefit of the electronic consultation and referral system in clinical management appeared stronger for laboratory-based conditions (i.e. subclinical hypothyroidism) than more diffuse conditions (i.e. abdominal pain). Nurse practitioners/physician assistants and trainee physicians were more likely to report improved abilities to manage specific clinical conditions when using the electronic consultation and/or referral system than were attending physicians, as were primary care providers with ≤10 years experience, versus those with >20 years of experience. Conclusions Primary care providers report overwhelmingly positive perceptions of the educational value of an integrated electronic consultation and referral system. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, trainee physicians and less-experienced primary care providers report the greatest clinical educational benefit, particularly for conditions involving lab-based diagnosis and management.

scholarly journals Evaluating a Web-Based Adult ADHD Toolkit for Primary Care Clinicians

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-752
Author(s):  
Natalia Y. Loskutova ◽  
Cory B. Lutgen ◽  
Elisabeth F. Callen ◽  
Melissa K. Filippi ◽  
Elise A. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Adult Adhd ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Primary Care Clinicians

PREP — The Preoperative Risk Education Package: an online educational resource for primary care clinicians to encourage community based prehabilitation prior to major surgery

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp18X697277
Author(s):  
James Durrand ◽  
F McHardy ◽  
E Land ◽  
Z Llewellyn ◽  
C Norman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Perioperative Risk ◽  
Perioperative Outcomes ◽  
Major Surgery ◽  
Educational Resource ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Early Evaluation ◽  
Risk Education ◽  
Primary Care Clinicians

BackgroundPrehabilitation prior to major surgery mandates cross-sector working. Utilising the preoperative window from referral requires clinician engagement. Awareness of perioperative risk factors is crucial. A national survey uncovered gaps in knowledge and understanding.AimCreate an open-access, online educational resource for primary care clinicians.MethodOur multidisciplinary team developed a focused CPD resource targeting lifestyle factors and chronic health conditions influencing perioperative risk (www.prepwell.co.uk).ResultsPREP highlights seven risk factors influencing perioperative risk: Smoking, alcohol, inactivity, anaemia, cognitive impairment, frailty and low BMI. A case study frames each factor alongside perioperative impact and prehabilitation strategies.ConclusionPREP is the first educational resource of its type. Early evaluation through local clinicians, the RCGP and RCOA has resulted in very positive feedback. We are working with Royal College representatives to gain formal endorsement and facilitate wider scale rollout, a major step towards raised clinician awareness and enhanced collaboration for improved perioperative outcomes.

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