Abstract
BackgroundThere has been created an online communication tool with the objective to improve the communication among different levels of care, between Primary Care clinicians and Specialists. This tool is web 2.0 based technology (ECOPIH project). It allows to review clinical cases and to share knowledge. Our study will evaluate its impact in terms of reduction on the number of referrals to three specialties two years after the use of this tool.Methods/DesignOpen, multicenter, controlled, non random intervention study over 24 months. Study population includes 131 Primary Care Physicians assigned to nine health centers. The study will compare the clinicians that use the ECOPIH with the ones that do not use the tool. Also, professionals that start to use the tool during the period time of the study will be included.The number of annual referrals during the first and second year will be analyzed and retrospectively compared with the previous year to the implementation of the tool. Moreover, it will be assessed the level of satisfaction of the professionals with the tool and to what extend the tool responds to their needs.DiscussionThe implementation of ECOPIH in the field of Primary Health Care can decrease the number of referrals from primary care to specialist care.It is expected that the reduction will be more noticeable in the group of professionals that use more intensively the tool. Furthermore, we believe that it can be also observed with the professionals that read the contributions of the others.We anticipate high degree of customer satisfaction as it is a very helpful resource never used before in our environment.
Highlights
There has been created an online communication tool with the objective to improve the communication among different levels of care, between Primary Care clinicians and Specialists
The implementation of Eina de Comunicació entre Primària i Hospitalària (ECOPIH) in the field of Primary Health Care can decrease the number of referrals from primary care to specialist care
General objective To assess the impact of the ECOPIH on the number of referrals from a primary health care area to the specialist care of Cardiology, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology
Summary
There has been created an online communication tool with the objective to improve the communication among different levels of care, between Primary Care clinicians and Specialists. This tool is web 2.0 based technology (ECOPIH project). The communication among professionals and team work are essential to the professional development Nowadays, this is sustained by information and communication. New technologies, applications and services have appeared in Internet. They are Web 2,0 elements that go for creativity, apomediation, aggregation and share of information ( for scientists) and collaboration through social networks, wikis or blogs among others. Geographically scattered, are organized around communities of common interests giving room to non-formal or unregulated learning
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
