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Study Demonstrates Cardiology eConsults Will Save States Money, Improve Patient Access to Quality Specialty Care

FINDINGS PUBLISHED IN JANUARY’S AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MANAGED CARE

Middletown, Conn; January 17, 2018: In the first published randomized study of eConsults, research conducted at Community Health Center, Inc. and the University of Connecticut Health Center appears in this month’s American Journal of Managed Care. The study found that the use of eConsults for cardiology yielded a savings of $466 over traditional face-to-face consultations, and underserved patient populations who struggle with access to specialists received more timely care.

eConsults are virtual consultations by a specialist, who reviews clinical information sent electronically across a secure platform by a primary care physician. The specialist provides recommendations to the PCP for patient care, which in many cases eliminates the need for the patient to be seen in-person.  Outpatient specialty care is a significant driver of escalating health care costs nationally.

The study authors noted that eConsults improve access, timeliness and coordination of care when compared with face-to-face consultations. The study shows use of eConsults is associated with cost savings to payers due in part to reduction in the cost of cardiac tests and procedures. Thus, state Medicaid agencies and other health systems seeking to improve access and reduce costs would benefit from eConsult utilization. The study suggests reimbursement policy changes supporting the use of eConsults could result in significant savings to Medicaid programs in a relatively short period of time.

The study’s lead author, Daren Anderson, MD, Director of Community Health Center’s Weitzman Institute, commented, “The important findings from this research are that a relatively simple intervention, the use of eConsults to communicate with cardiologists, can improve access to care and reduce the need for face to face consults, all while saving the system money – a win-win for patients and payers. The $466 saved per cardiology eConsult demonstrates the economic benefit, while patients who commonly endure long waits for specialists receive timely, high quality care.”

The full article, appearing in the January 2018 edition of The American Journal of Managed Care, can be read at http://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2018/2018-vol24-n1/a-costeffectiveness-analysis-of-cardiology-econsults-for-medicaid-patients.