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Irvine’s Access OC implements electronic consultation service
eConsult will facilitate communication between primary care physicians and specialists.
By Susan BelknappPublished: August 19, 2009 03:00 PM
Access OC is a project of the Health Funders Partnership of Orange County (HFPOC), a collaboration of organizations whose mission is to enhance the impact and efficiency of health philanthropy and health-service delivery in Orange County. It announced earlier this month that it would be implementing an innovative, Web-based e-mail consultation service, designed to improve communication between primary care physicians and specialists.
eConsult will enable primary care physicians and specialists to discuss how to best manage patients and confer on what tests or information is needed for a complete and appropriate referral prior to a visit being scheduled. It is expected to lower costs by eliminating redundancies in testing and decreasing unnecessary visits to specialists.
The system, which is compliant with standards set by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, is being created for Access OC by Newport Beach-based SafetyNet Connect, which has a history of producing electronic solutions for sharing health information. Access OC has received grant money to fund the project.
“Many providers rely on inefficient systems, such as handwritten forms, faxes and phone calls, to coordinate specialty referrals and subsequent care, which exacerbates the lack of available specialty care available,” says Jennifer Shimabukuro, director of Access OC. “Through eConsult, we are harnessing existing technology to improve communication between primary-care physicians and specialists, improving the quality of care for those who need it most.”
According to two separate surveys of community clinics in Orange County – one conducted in 2007 by the California Primary Care Association and another done by Access OC – some primary care physicians indicated they are able to reach a specialist for a consult less than five percent of the time, while others said that they were unable to reach a specialist at all when needed.
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Access OC is a project of the Health Funders Partnership of Orange County (HFPOC), a collaboration of organizations whose mission is to enhance the impact and efficiency of health philanthropy and health-service delivery in Orange County. It announced earlier this month that it would be implementing an innovative, Web-based e-mail consultation service, designed to improve communication between primary care physicians and specialists. eConsult will enable primary care physicians and specialists to discuss how to best manage patients and confer on what tests or information is needed for a complete and appropriate referral prior to a visit being scheduled. It is expected to lower costs by eliminating redundancies in testing and decreasing unnecessary visits to specialists. The system, which is compliant with standards set by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, is being created for Access OC by Newport Beach-based SafetyNet Connect, which has a history of producing electronic solutions for sharing health information. Access OC has received grant money to fund the project. “Many providers rely on inefficient systems, such as handwritten forms, faxes and phone calls, to coordinate specialty referrals and subsequent care, which exacerbates the lack of available specialty care available,” says Jennifer Shimabukuro, director of Access OC. “Through eConsult, we are harnessing existing technology to improve communication between primary-care physicians and specialists, improving the quality of care for those who need it most.” According to two separate surveys of community clinics in Orange County – one conducted in 2007 by the California Primary Care Association and another done by Access OC – some primary care physicians indicated they are able to reach a specialist for a consult less than five percent of the time, while others said that they were unable to reach a specialist at all when needed. NEXT PAGE >> Related headlines UC Irvine chemistry center nets $20 million grant Seal Beach-based DTS garners U.S. Air Force grant Waypharm USA launches in Laguna Beach Aliso Viejo's Avanir announces positive study results |
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