An outpatient infectious diseases eConsult service to optimize access and promote expert care

The study describes the experience of an Infectious Diseases (ID) electronic consultation (eConsult) service at a county hospital between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024. The service, primarily used by primary care providers (PCPs), aims to enhance clinical decision-making and reduce wait times by providing timely expert opinions. Two hundred eighty eConsults were completed, with 72.1% requested by PCPs. The service was able to complete 87% of referrals via eConsult. Most eConsults (72.5%) were completed within 24 h, enhancing efficiency. The service fosters better provider relationships and offers valuable teaching on common clinical topics. Despite these benefits, the sustainability of the eConsult service remains a concern due to inadequate reimbursement rates. Recommendations for improvement include revising billing codes to better reflect the time and effort involved and leveraging tools like electronic medical record (EMR) dashboards and dot phrases to streamline the process. This study demonstrates that ID eConsults can significantly improve access to specialist care while reducing the burden on in-person clinic visits.