Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data
Abstract Aims and Objectives To describe characteristics of service utilization by advanced practice nurses (APNs) employing an electronic consultation (eConsult) service in their care for older adults. Background Canada's aging population is projected to place unprecedented demands on the heal...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Nursing Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1476 |
| _version_ | 1811154649655279616 |
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| author | Ramtin Hakimjavadi Sathya Karunananthan Cheryl Levi Kimberly LeBlanc Sheena Guglani Mary Helmer‐Smith Erin Keely Clare Liddy |
| author_facet | Ramtin Hakimjavadi Sathya Karunananthan Cheryl Levi Kimberly LeBlanc Sheena Guglani Mary Helmer‐Smith Erin Keely Clare Liddy |
| author_sort | Ramtin Hakimjavadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Aims and Objectives To describe characteristics of service utilization by advanced practice nurses (APNs) employing an electronic consultation (eConsult) service in their care for older adults. Background Canada's aging population is projected to place unprecedented demands on the healthcare system. APNs, which include clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), are nurses with advanced knowledge who can independently provide age‐appropriate care. eConsult is a secure web‐based platform enabling asynchronous, provider‐to‐provider communication. APNs can send and receive eConsults to address patient‐specific concerns. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of eConsult utilization and user survey data for cases completed in 2019, reported in line with the STROBE guidelines. Eligible eConsults included those that had APN involvement (as a referrer or responder) and were concerning an older patient (≥65 years). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse service utilization and survey response data. Results Of 430 eligible eConsults, 421 (97.9%) were initiated by NPs and the rest by physicians. 23 (5.3%) were received by a CNS, of which 14 (3.3%) involved an NP‐to‐CNS exchange. Median specialist response interval was 0.9 days. 53% of eConsults was for dermatology, haematology, cardiology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. 73% of eConsults avoided a face‐to‐face referral after the consultation. In 90% of eConsults, APNs rated the service as helpful and/or educational. Conclusions Through eConsult, APNs can collaborate with each other and physicians to access and provide a breadth of advice facilitating timely specialist‐informed care for older patients, thus helping to alleviate some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. Relevance to Clinical Practice There is an opportunity for APNs to further adopt eConsult into their clinical practice, and this can, in turn, support the integration of the APN role in the health workforce. Patient or Public Contribution Current APN eConsult users were involved in the study design and interpretation of results. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:20:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6541f98b352e480296c5d570973974ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-1058 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:20:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nursing Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-6541f98b352e480296c5d570973974ad2023-03-11T07:18:37ZengWileyNursing Open2054-10582023-04-011042240224810.1002/nop2.1476Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization dataRamtin Hakimjavadi0Sathya Karunananthan1Cheryl Levi2Kimberly LeBlanc3Sheena Guglani4Mary Helmer‐Smith5Erin Keely6Clare Liddy7Faculty of Medicine University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario CanadaC.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre Bruyère Research Institute Ottawa Ontario CanadaEmergency Department Outreach Program The Ottawa Hospital Ottawa Ontario CanadaNurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Ottawa Ontario CanadaC.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre Bruyère Research Institute Ottawa Ontario CanadaSchool of Population and Public Health University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia CanadaDepartment of Medicine University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario CanadaC.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre Bruyère Research Institute Ottawa Ontario CanadaAbstract Aims and Objectives To describe characteristics of service utilization by advanced practice nurses (APNs) employing an electronic consultation (eConsult) service in their care for older adults. Background Canada's aging population is projected to place unprecedented demands on the healthcare system. APNs, which include clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), are nurses with advanced knowledge who can independently provide age‐appropriate care. eConsult is a secure web‐based platform enabling asynchronous, provider‐to‐provider communication. APNs can send and receive eConsults to address patient‐specific concerns. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of eConsult utilization and user survey data for cases completed in 2019, reported in line with the STROBE guidelines. Eligible eConsults included those that had APN involvement (as a referrer or responder) and were concerning an older patient (≥65 years). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse service utilization and survey response data. Results Of 430 eligible eConsults, 421 (97.9%) were initiated by NPs and the rest by physicians. 23 (5.3%) were received by a CNS, of which 14 (3.3%) involved an NP‐to‐CNS exchange. Median specialist response interval was 0.9 days. 53% of eConsults was for dermatology, haematology, cardiology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. 73% of eConsults avoided a face‐to‐face referral after the consultation. In 90% of eConsults, APNs rated the service as helpful and/or educational. Conclusions Through eConsult, APNs can collaborate with each other and physicians to access and provide a breadth of advice facilitating timely specialist‐informed care for older patients, thus helping to alleviate some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. Relevance to Clinical Practice There is an opportunity for APNs to further adopt eConsult into their clinical practice, and this can, in turn, support the integration of the APN role in the health workforce. Patient or Public Contribution Current APN eConsult users were involved in the study design and interpretation of results.https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1476advanced practice nursingelectronic consultationinterprofessional healthcareolder adultstelehealthtelemedicine |
| spellingShingle | Ramtin Hakimjavadi Sathya Karunananthan Cheryl Levi Kimberly LeBlanc Sheena Guglani Mary Helmer‐Smith Erin Keely Clare Liddy Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data Nursing Open advanced practice nursing electronic consultation interprofessional healthcare older adults telehealth telemedicine |
| title | Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data |
| title_full | Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data |
| title_fullStr | Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data |
| title_short | Electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care—A descriptive study of service utilization data |
| title_sort | electronic consultation use by advanced practice nurses in older adult care a descriptive study of service utilization data |
| topic | advanced practice nursing electronic consultation interprofessional healthcare older adults telehealth telemedicine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1476 |
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