SAT184 Improving Access To Osteoporosis Specialists Using Electronic Consultations

Abstract

Abstract Disclosure: C. Sethuram: None. W. Brown: None. G. Gill: None. C. Liddy: None. A. Afkham: None. E. Keely: None. Background: Timely access to osteoporosis specialists remains a challenge in Canada, where patients face long wait times for specialist care. Electronic consultations (eConsults) help address this issue by allowing primary care providers (PCPs) to pose clinical questions to specialists using a secure online platform. This study identifies the types of osteoporosis-related questions being asked by PCPs and describes the impact of the advice provided by osteoporosis specialists using eConsult. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of osteoporosis-related eConsults submitted to endocrinologists between January 2018 and December 2020 on the Champlain BASE™ eConsult Service in Ontario, Canada. Each eConsult was coded according to clinical question and answer type through consensus between two authors, based on pre-determined taxonomies established by the reviewers. We analyzed eConsult utilization data, including response times, PCP satisfaction, and referral outcomes, which were collected via PCP surveys following completion of the eConsult. Results: Of the 2534 eConsults sent to endocrinologists during the study period, 408 (16%) were specific to osteoporosis. The most common questions asked by PCPs were regarding whether or not to start treatment (18%), the initial therapy choice (13%), and how often to complete bone mineral density scans (8%). The most common responses from specialists included recommendations for bone mineral density scanning (13%), recommendation to start therapy (9%), and recommendation to treat using a bisphosphonate without the dose specified (9%). The median response interval was 3.1 days, and the median time spent by endocrinologists responding to the eConsult was 10.0 minutes. Eighty-four percent of cases were resolved without requiring an in-person referral. A course of action that PCPs already had in mind was confirmed in 42% of cases. Clear advice for a new course of action for PCPs to implement was provided in 54% of cases. Conclusion: Osteoporosis eConsults provide timely access to valuable specialist advice while avoiding unnecessary face-to-face clinic visits. Further, we identified commonly recurring osteoporosis questions asked by PCPs, which can be used to inform planning of future continuing professional development events. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023