Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has made innovative solutions to providing safe, effective care paramount. eConsult allows primary care providers to access specialist advice for their patients without necessitating an in-person visit. This study aims to explain how an eConsult service adapted to providing care for COVID-19 patients and examine its impact on patient care. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of cases submitted to COVID-19 specialties through the Ontario eConsult service between October 2020 and April 2021. Utilization data were extracted from all eligible cases to assess number of cases submitted, patterns of use, response times, and case outcomes (ie, whether eConsult resulted in new or additional information, whether or not a referral was needed). 2783 eConsults were submitted to 5 COVID-19 specialty groups during the study period. 71% of the cases were for vaccine-related questions. The median response interval was 12 hours. Providers received advice for a new or additional course of action in 36% of cases. 84% of the cases did not require a referral. Our study demonstrated the effectiveness of rapidly adapting eConsult for COVID-19 care and supports similar action for other services.
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