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Electronic Advice Request System for Nephrology in Alberta: Pilot Results and Implementation.
Aminu K Bello1, Deenaz Zaidi1, Branko Braam1
1Division of Nephrology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease
|October 22, 2019
Summary
An electronic advice request system improved access to kidney care for rural Albertans. Most cases were managed by primary care providers, reducing the need for in-person nephrologist visits and speeding up response times.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Health Informatics
- Rural Health
Background:
- Rural residents in Alberta experience significant barriers accessing specialist care, leading to treatment delays.
- Electronic referral and consultation systems offer a promising solution for timely specialist access, particularly in rural settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the initial implementation of an electronic advice request system for ambulatory kidney care in Alberta, Canada.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of electronic advice requests for nephrology services in Alberta from October 2016 to December 2017.
- Extraction of province-wide data on primary care provider (PCP) utilization of the advice request tool from Alberta Netcare.
Main Results:
- 118 electronic advice requests for nephrology were received (average 2 per week).
- Only 26.3% of cases necessitated a face-to-face nephrology visit; 73.7% were managed by PCPs with specialist support.
- Average nephrologist response time was 5.7 ± 0.6 days.
Conclusions:
- The electronic advice request program shows potential to improve timely access to specialist kidney care and reduce unnecessary in-person visits.
- Widespread adoption could positively impact health outcomes and cost-effectiveness for nephrology, especially in rural Alberta.
Keywords:
chronic kidney disease (CKD)eReferral advice requestelectronic advice (eAdvice)electronic referralprimary care providersMore Related Videos
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