Exploring Primary Care Provider eConsult Utilization Trends

Context: The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CUSOM) launched their eConsult program in 2018.

Objective: To determine how primary care providers (PCP) utilize the eConsult platform.

Study Design and Analysis: This retrospective analysis of program data spans from 2018 through 2023. It includes templated eConsult exchange data extracted from the electronic health record.

Setting or Dataset: CUSOM and University Hospital.

Population Studied: CUSOM PCPs.

Intervention/Instrument: eConsult platform and electronic health record.

Outcome Measures: The number of eConsults by PCP and type of eConsult sent. Measures are described using proportions, percentages, median and range. Top utilizers were defined as PCPs with ordering volume in the 75th percentile.

Results: A total of 21,931 eConsults were included for analysis. 1,087 unique PCPs ordered at least 1 eConsult across 28 specialties. The number of eConsults ordered by any given PCP ranged from 1- 363 with a median of 3. A subset of top utilizers contained 264 unique PCPs who ordered 18,972 eConsults. The median number of eConsults ordered by our top utilizers was 51 (range 18-363). The period during which top utilizers ordered eConsults varied greatly from 2-63 months with a median 23. Provider usage of the platform declined steadily over time. 50% of the top utilizers ordered at least 1 eConsult from 12 different specialties.

Conclusions: With the increasing popularity of eConsults to improve access to care, it is crucial to gain insights into the eConsult utilization patterns of PCPs. By understanding how PCPs engage with eConsult platforms, healthcare systems can pinpoint areas of opportunities for engagement and training.