Neurology eConsults at Penn State Health: What, Why, and How?

Abstract

eConsults provide a mechanism for specialists to provide guidance to their colleagues to allow them to manage patients in primary care settings. The patient receives access to specialist expertise, avoids the long wait time and high costs associated with an office visit, and maintains relationship continuity with the primary care physician (PCP). The PCP has dynamic access to specialist expertise and an opportunity for attainting a higher comfort level with chronic neurological care comanagement. Patient referrals for specialty care are high, while there has been projected shortage in nonprimary care specialties. The increasing prevalence of neurologic diseases associated with an aging population will likely continue to increase the demand for neurologists.