Peer-to-peer virtual consult platform improves access to specialist care

A new specialist consulting platform launched in Prince Edward Island allows physicians to more easily access specialists to discuss patient care and reduce the need for in-person specialist consults. The Virtual Hallway platform enables primary care providers, including physicians and nurse practitioners, to connect swiftly with specialists for patient-specific advice via scheduled phone consultations. This process allows for efficient specialist input on patients' conditions and care plans, aiming to streamline delivery while ensuring appropriate referrals for follow-up in-person care. By consulting with primary care providers through Virtual Hallway, specialists can potentially gain a better understanding of patients' ailments and life situations, enabling them to triage and manage their care effectively while patients wait for specialist appointments. Hallway consults “Virtual Hallway will be extremely valuable to Island health care as it provides a fast and easy way to connect family physicians and nurse practitioners with specialty services in real-time. The kinds of quick hallway consults that happen in hospitals and improve patient care are now available virtually, giving primary care teams more access to support and ultimately benefiting patients,” said Dr. Kathie McNally, Health PEI chief medical officer, in a press release. The consultation process involves specialists indicating their availability for brief consults on the Virtual Hallway platform. Primary care providers can then schedule phone calls with specialists based on their listed dates and times of availability. Appointment slots range from within 24 hours to a few days. Access to the platform is free to all Health PEI physicians and nurse practitioners. “Virtual Hallway has allowed me to connect with Island specialists during a time that suits both parties. Because it is a scheduled meeting, I don’t feel rushed and I’m able to ask all necessary questions,” said Dr. Laura Heron, a family physician at Kinlock Medical Centre in Charlottetown, in the release. “My patients are benefiting from it as I am able to order the correct tests and prescribe the right medications immediately without having to wait to see a specialist in the office.” “I like this platform, first of all, because the consultation is arranged ahead of time and I can look at the patient’s relevant information, X-rays or bloodwork and even their medications, to have a better-informed opinion when consulting with their primary care provider,” said Dr. Tim Fitzpatrick, a Charlottetown anesthesiologist practicing in pain medicine. “The biggest advantage is the opportunity to help with patient management early on for those patients who will not get to see a specialist very quickly. The waitlist for my clinic is long, and Virtual Hallway can help identify patients who may require extra testing or referral for more complex procedures ahead of time, ensuring more timely and appropriate access to the healthcare system." Dr. Fitzpatrick also noted that in some cases, the Virtual Hallway could also help reduce the need for tests that would not be helpful, thereby decreasing wait times for other patients needing to access testing. Expanding platform Currently, Virtual Hallway has 93 registered users, including 72 primary care providers and 21 specialists, with a focus on various specialties such as pediatrics (ADHD), geriatric medicine, hematology-medical oncology, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pain management, pediatrics, palliative care, psychiatry, urology, and vascular medicine/surgery. As the platform's usage expands, the list of available specialists is expected to grow. Since its launch on May 1, 2023, there have been 32 Virtual Hallway consultations between registered primary care providers and specialists in Prince Edward Island. The province plans to further expand the platform's usage by incorporating out-of-province specialists in the upcoming months.

Peer-to-peer virtual consult platform improves access to specialist care

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