Table 2.
The Impact of eConsult on the Need for a Face-to-Face Referral Needed for Patients Over the Age of 65, Reported Across Specialty Groups.
| Specialty | Referral not needed | Referral needed | Othera |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respirology (n = 27) | 37% | 59% | 4% |
| Urology (n = 81) | 51% | 48% | 1% |
| Pain medicine (n = 38) | 53% | 39% | 8% |
| Neurology (n = 124) | 57% | 37% | 6% |
| Hematology (n = 178) | 59% | 37% | 4% |
| Radiology (n = 42) | 60% | 40% | 0% |
| Orthopedics (n = 57) | 63% | 30% | 7% |
| Rheumatology (n = 111) | 65% | 32% | 4% |
| Psychiatry (n = 24) | 67% | 29% | 4% |
| Gastroenterology (n = 56) | 68% | 29% | 4% |
| Average (n = 1,796) | 68% | 28% | 4% |
| Infectious diseases (n = 66) | 70% | 26% | 5% |
| ENT (n = 21) | 71% | 29% | 0% |
| Dermatology (n = 256) | 71% | 23% | 5% |
| Cardiology (n = 209) | 74% | 22% | 3% |
| Internal medicine (n = 82) | 74% | 21% | 5% |
| Nephrology (n = 84) | 76% | 20% | 4% |
| OBS/GYN (n = 49) | 78% | 18% | 4% |
| Endocrinology (n = 178) | 80% | 19% | 2% |
| Thrombosis (n = 46) | 89% | 11% | 0% |
Note. ENT = ear, nose, and throat; OBS/GYN = obstetrics and gynecology.
a
Other refers to responses in which the primary care provider did not indicate whether or not a referral was needed in their closeout survey.