eConsults and Learning Between Primary Care Providers and Specialists.

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Healthcare Access
• Continuing Medical Education

Background:

• Limited access to specialist care impacts patient outcomes globally.
• Electronic consultation (eConsult) platforms facilitate communication between primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists.
• There is increasing interest in utilizing eConsult services for educational purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate primary care providers' (PCPs) perceptions of eConsult's role in improving collegiality.
• To assess the educational value of eConsult for PCPs.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of free-text comments from PCPs using the Champlain BASE eConsult service.
• Inclusion of responses mentioning 'education' or 'collegiality' between January 2015 and January 2017.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: enhanced provider relationships, integrated teaching within eConsult responses, and stimulation of further learning.
• PCPs reported that eConsults strengthened connections with specialists.
• Responses often contained educational content applicable to broader practice areas.

Conclusions:

• eConsult services foster improved provider relationships and offer significant educational benefits.
• The Champlain BASE eConsult service demonstrates clear educational value for primary care providers.
• Future research will explore using eConsults for reflective learning and feedback mechanisms.