Electronic Consultations (E-consults): Advancing Infectious Disease Care in a Large Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.
The impact of e-consults on total consultative services was evaluated. After implementing infectious diseases e-consults within an electronically integrated healthcare system, consultation volume increased. As compared with face-to-face consultations, e-consults were more often related to antimicrobial guidance and were requested by off-site providers. E-consults increased the breadth and volume of total consults.
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Judith
J
Strymish
Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts, USA.
Gouri
G
Gupte
Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts, USA.
Melissa K
MK
Afable
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.|Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.
Kalpana
K
Gupta
Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.|Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, USA.
Eun Ji
EJ
Kim
Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.|Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, USA.
Varsha
V
Vimalananda
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Steven R
SR
Simon
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.|Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.
Jay D
JD
Orlander
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*
electronic consultations (e-consults); telemedicine; consultation