Patient Resources
What happens during an eConsult?
Step 1
(today)
Step 2
(within 1 week)
Step 3
(usually 2-4 weeks)
Your doctor or nurse practioner sends a message (eConsult) to a specialist about your health concern
The specialist reviews the eConsult and responds to your doctor or nurse practitioner with advice or recommends an appointment
Your doctor or nurse practitioner uses the specialist advice and provides care to you
OR
Your doctor or nurse practitioner refers you to the appropriate specialist
How does eConsult benefit me?
FAST: on average, specialists respond to questions in only 2 days
EFFICIENT: in about 2/3 of eConsults, the provider gets all the advice they need to treat you themselves
SAFE: privacy experts have ensured it meets all of the standards applied to regular communication between healthcare providers
What do patients think of eConsult?
100%
Agreed that eConsult is an acceptable way to access specialist care
87%
Thought the service was useful in their case
83%
Would ask their provider to use eConsult on their behalf in the future
"I live in a more remote location [...] A lot of the specialists probably aren't going to be here, so [eConsult can] save me a trip to Ottawa."
Reference: Joschko, J., Liddy, C., Moroz, I., Reiche, M., Crowe, L., Afkham, A., & Keely, E. (2017). Just a click away: exploring patients' perspectives on receiving care through the Champlain BASE™ eConsult service. Family Practice, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmx073.