Differences in Electronic Consultation Conversion Rates Between Advanced Practice Providers and Board-Certified...

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Health Services Research
• Clinical Informatics

Background:

• Electronic consultations (e-consults) are increasingly used in dermatology to improve access and efficiency.
• The role of advanced practice providers (APPs) in e-consult workflows is evolving.
• Understanding conversion rates from e-consults to in-person visits is crucial for optimizing care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the conversion rates of dermatology e-consults to in-person visits between advanced practice providers (APPs) and board-certified dermatologists.
• To analyze the potential implications of differing conversion rates on patient access to dermatological care.
• To evaluate the impact on healthcare resource utilization within an academic health system.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of dermatology e-consult data from a large academic health system.
• Comparison of conversion rates to in-person visits between APPs and board-certified dermatologists.
• Statistical analysis to determine the significance of observed differences.

Main Results:

• APPs demonstrated nearly threefold higher conversion rates to in-person dermatology visits compared to board-certified dermatologists.
• The analysis identified significant differences in care pathways initiated by APPs versus dermatologists via e-consults.
• These findings highlight variations in how different provider types manage e-consult referrals.

Conclusions:

• Advanced practice providers may facilitate a higher rate of transition to in-person dermatology consultations.
• The observed differences in conversion rates have significant implications for patient access to dermatologists.
• Optimizing e-consult workflows requires consideration of provider type to enhance resource allocation and patient care pathways.