Using an electronic system for communication between primary care providers and specialists may help improve specialty care access for underserved patients, a recent study suggests.
The study, published in Health Affairs, examined an eConsult system implemented in 2012 by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. With the system, specialists are able to communicate with primary care providers through technology.
"In many cases, the specialist can address the primary care provider's question via an electronic dialogue, thereby eliminating the need for the patient to see a specialist in person," researchers wrote.
Researchers found the frequency of eConsult use increased since its introduction and by 2015 was used by more than 3,000 primary care providers across Los Angeles County. Researchers also found eConsult requests per month grew significantly, with more than 12,000 consultations occurring monthly in the last quarter of 2015, compared to less than 90 in the third quarter of 2012.
Over the course of the study period, the average wait time to see a specialist decreased from 63 to 52 days. Additionally, the amount of appointments made within 30 days of initial request increased from 24 to 30 percent. In 2015, the median time to an electronic response from a specialist was just under 24 hours. Also, 25 percent of eConsults were resolved without the patient seeing a specialist.
"EConsult systems are a promising and sustainable intervention that could improve access to specialist care for underserved patients," researchers concluded.