Improved access and care through the implementation of virtual Hallway, a consultation platform in Nova Scotia: preliminary findings from a feasibility evaluation
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Virtual Hallway (VH) significantly reduced specialist referrals and demonstrated strong return on investment. Providers reported high satisfaction and intent to continue using this virtual health platform.
Area Of Science
- Health Informatics
- Telemedicine
- Healthcare Management
Background
- Virtual Hallway (VH) is an online platform designed to connect primary care providers with specialists for synchronous phone consultations.
- VH aims to reduce the need for in-person specialist referrals and improve the quality of referrals through efficient documentation and scheduling.
- A feasibility study was conducted in Nova Scotia, Canada, to evaluate VH's utilization, economic value, and user experience.
Purpose Of The Study
- To assess the utilization and economic value (cost-benefit analysis) of the Virtual Hallway platform.
- To evaluate healthcare provider and specialist experiences and satisfaction with the Virtual Hallway platform.
- To determine the impact of Virtual Hallway on reducing in-person specialist referrals and improving patient access to clinical direction.
Main Methods
- The study employed post, cross-sectional, and cost-benefit designs, collecting data via administrative records, surveys, and cost data.
- Utilization was measured by the number of completed consults and active healthcare professionals on the VH platform.
- Data analysis included descriptive statistics and a cost-benefit analysis with probabilistic sensitivity analysis.
Main Results
- Approximately 84% of Virtual Hallway consultations successfully averted the need for in-person specialist referrals.
- The platform demonstrated a return on investment of 1.8, indicating benefits exceeded costs.
- Provider satisfaction was high: 92% of specialists and 96% of primary care providers were satisfied or highly satisfied, with 97% intending to continue use and recommend VH.
Conclusions
- Virtual Hallway was positively received by healthcare providers, showing high satisfaction and a reduced need for in-person referrals.
- The platform proved to be a cost-effective solution, offering significant value for money.
- Further research is recommended to explore the broader impact of virtual health services on healthcare resource utilization across diverse patient populations.
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