Table 4.
Codes and frequencies for perceived barriers and facilitators to e-consultation utilization identified during interviews with 15 patients, 15 PCPs, and 4 specialty physicians who utilized the e-consult process.a
| Codes | # of Patients conveying theme |
# of PCPs conveying theme |
# of Specialists conveying theme | Total # of participants conveying theme | |
| Barriers |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. Communication | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 | |
| 2. Electronic medical records system | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| 3. Time required for e-consults | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 4. Awareness of e-consults | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| 5. Appropriateness of case for e-consult | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
|
|
6. Specialist credentialing | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 7. Healthcare provider workload credit | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 8. Patient confidence in e-consults | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9. Coordination of e-consults | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 10. No answer | 11 | 5 | 0 | 16 | |
| Facilitators |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. Communication | 8 | 4 | 4 | 16 | |
| 2. Quality of care | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | |
| 3. Travel to VA Pittsburgh Medical Center | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 | |
| 4. Timeliness of care | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | |
| 5. Electronic medical records system | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| 6. Coordination of e-consults | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 7. Patient confidence in e-consults | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 8. No answer | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
a A given segment of conversation could include one or more codes from each category.