Seattle Children’s to Launch eConsults March 27

Seattle Children’s will be launching eConsults on March 27. An eConsult is a non-urgent asynchronous electronic consultation request initiated by a community provider to a Seattle Children’s specialist. It allows community providers to receive timely, efficient care guidance on lower-complexity and data-oriented clinical questions that may not require an in-person evaluation. eConsults will be submitted using EpicCare Link, which is available to all providers regardless of what EHR is used in their clinic.

Benefits of eConsults:

• They are asynchronous, resulting in more streamlined and less disruptive communication for all involved.
• They provide more timely access to Seattle Children’s specialists. Patients who may not require a specialist office visit are able to be managed by their PCP, who can expect a response within approximately three business days. Higher acuity patients will benefit from the improved access that results from eConsult usage by lower acuity patients.
• They are documented within EpicCare Link for future reference and become a part of the patient’s medical record.

The initial launch of eConsults will be include three specialties: Dermatology, Endocrinology and Neurology. Additional specialties will go live in waves throughout the remainder of the year. Please note that initially eConsults can only be submitted by providers located in Washington state regarding a patient residing in Washington state.

How can you prepare for eConsults?

• Continue reading Provider News and make sure others in your clinic are subscribed – it will be the main communication vehicle for news about eConsults, including a special update that will be sent later this month with additional information and resources.
• Ensure you and providers in your clinic have access to EpicCare Link – that is the only way to submit an eConsult. Visit our Healthcare Professionals page on EpicCare Link and eConsults to learn more about obtaining access, logging in, or accessing technical support if you’re unsure of your account status.
• Review eConsults Frequently Asked Questions which contains important information about utilizing eConsults, including technical and billing details.