A comparison of faxed referrals and eConsult questions for rheumatology referrals: a descriptive study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Canada, wait times for access to specialized rheumatology services have increased, leading to new strategies to improve timely care; electronic consultations (eConsults) enable providers to ask specialists a clinical question using a secure platform, often reducing the need for a face-to-face visit. In this study, we sought to compare the types of referrals received through fax versus eConsult and to determine whether faxed referrals could be addressed using eConsult.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive study of consecutive faxed referrals sent to a tertiary care centre between Feb. 1 and Mar. 6, 2017, and a convenience sample of eConsults directed to rheumatology between Feb. 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016, through the Champlain BASE eConsult Service, an Ontario-b

SUBMITTER: Keely E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7843073 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature