Electronic primary care to specialist referral: A pilot project to evaluate referral expedience and efficacy.

BACKGROUND

Delayed referrals to specialists often result in increased morbidity and mortality.

LOCAL PROBLEM

A time delay in specialist care access of over 1 month identified a gap in efficient care provision in a rural south central United States outreach clinic within a multispecialty group affiliated with a hospital system.

METHODS

A pilot project with a mixed-methods design that compared the established referral process with direct primary provider referral to a specialist's electronic medical record (EMR) schedule. Authors conducted the study over 16 weeks using a convenience sample size of 74 patients.

INTERVENTIONS

Direct primary care nurse practitioner provider to specialist EMR schedule referral based on specialty referral needs.

RESULTS

All electronically referred patients were seen by specialists in less than 1 month.

CONCLUSIONS

All electronic specialist referrals were completed more expediently than those referred by the standard process and patients reported an efficient and satisfactory process.