The effect of eConsult on the provision of orthopaedic services in Nunavut. Issue 1 (31st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sakanovic, Alenko; Hadden, William J; Guglani, Sheena; Afkham, Amir; Liddy, Clare; Keely, Erin; Meulenkamp, Brad
• Is Part Of: International journal of circumpolar health. Volume 81:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-31
• Subjects: Orthopaedics -- referral -- remote -- consult; Arctic medicine -- Periodicals; Circumpolar medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine arctique -- Périodiques; Médecine polaire -- Périodiques; Arctic medicine; Circumpolar medicine; Gezondheid; Noordpoolgebied; Cold Climate; Medicine; Antarctic Regions; Arctic Regions; Periodicals; 616.9881
• DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2022.2151551
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1239-9736

Abstract

ABSTRACT: To assess the effect of eConsultation in providing Orthopaedic Surgery specialist service to patients in Nunavut. A cross-sectional study of 161 Orthopaedic Surgery consultations received from primary care providers (PCPs) in Nunavut via the Champlain Building Access to Specialist service through eConsult (BASE TM ) service over the 2-year period from January 2017 to December 2018. Data captured were: reason for consultation, impact of advice on referral, perceived value to the PCPs and time spent. eConsult avoided unnecessary in-person consultation 62% of the time while catching 5% of the referrals that would have otherwise been missed. PCP referral behaviour was modified 48% of the time. 94% of eConsults were rated as valuable to PCPs in their practice and 100% of eConsults resulted in actionable advice. Further, eConsults took an average of 15.4 minutes of specialist time to complete, and the mean time from referral to response was 1.4 days. eConsultation spares unnecessary consultation to Orthopaedic Surgery, catches important referrals that would have otherwise been missed, decreases wait time, and may reduce cost in remote healthcare systems such as Nunavut.