eConsult Specialist Quality of Response (eSQUARE): A novel tool to measure specialist correspondence via electronic consultation

High-quality correspondence between healthcare providers is critical for effective patient care. We developed an assessment tool to measure the quality of specialist correspondence to primary care providers (PCPs) via electronic consultation (eConsult), where specialists provide advice without speci...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of telemedicine and telecare 2022-05, Vol.28 (4), p.280-290
Main Authors: Tran, Christopher, Archibald, Douglas, Humphrey-Murto, Susan, Wood, Timothy J, Dudek, Nancy, Liddy, Clare, Keely, Erin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Correspondence
Education & Practice
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Primary Health Care
Referral and Consultation
Remote Consultation
Reproducibility of Results
Specialization
Telemedicine
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Summary:High-quality correspondence between healthcare providers is critical for effective patient care. We developed an assessment tool to measure the quality of specialist correspondence to primary care providers (PCPs) via electronic consultation (eConsult), where specialists provide advice without specialist-patient interactions. We incorporated fourteen previously described features of high-quality eConsult correspondence into an assessment tool named the eConsult Specialist Quality of Response (eSQUARE). Six PCPs and two specialists applied the 10-item eSQUARE tool to 30 eConsults of varying quality as informed by PCP survey data. Content, response process, and internal structure validity evidence was gathered. Psychometric properties were calculated using descriptive statistics and generalizability analyses. Mean total score for low-quality eConsults (M = 24 ± 5.6) was significantly lower than moderate-quality eConsults (M = 38 ± 4.7; p
ISSN:1357-633X
1758-1109
DOI:10.1177/1357633X21998216