Table 3.

Options for performing inpatient consultations

Inpatient eConsult	• Chart review only • No direct patient contact • Direct communication required with primary team • Consultant provides formal, written advice • Consult question should be narrow in scope
Inpatient telephone consult	• Provider interviews patient over telephone • No visual or physical contact with patient • Appropriate if a physical exam would not impact management of patient • Documentation in format of traditional in-person consult note
Inpatient telemedicine [video] consult	• Requires both audio and video connection to conduct history and limited physical examination • Appropriate if an in-person physical exam would not impact management of patient • Documentation in format of traditional in-person consult note
‘Traditional’ in-person consult	• History and physical examination performed at bedside • Consultant provides formal, written advice • Appropriate for complex patients with complex consult question