E-consults
E-consults, also known as electronic consultations or interprofessional consults, are communications between health care providers. Providers can use e-consults in the emergency department to get recommendations for complicated conditions from providers in other locations with additional expertise, for example in specialty areas like acute care for stroke, trauma, ICU, or behavioral health.
On this page:
About
E-consults are communications between providers only. Providers can interact with each other by using phone, video, or a HIPAA-compliant platform that allows two-way communication and can securely share patient records.
Benefits
Benefits of doing e-consults:
- Increase care coordination
- Increase access to high-quality, specialty care
- Accelerate consultation response time
- Reduce the need for unnecessary referrals
- Increase provider knowledge by learning from specialty experts
Getting started
In addition to the items on the getting started page, consider:
- What platform or communication method you will use
- What specialties will be available
- What cases warrant initiating an e-consult
- What your workflow will be, including turnaround time expectations
- How you will share patient information or records
- How you will train participating providers
- How you will roll-out your e-consult program
- How you will manage billing and reimbursement
More information about e-consults:
- eConsult Standard Workflow (PDF) — from the California Telehealth Resource Center