NYC Health + Hospitals expands eConsult program after cutting down wait times for specialty care

NYC Health + Hospitals has expanded its eConsult system—a tool that eases communication between primary care providers and specialists—to 81 primary clinics, the health system announced. NYC Health + Hospitals, the country’s largest municipal health system, first piloted eConsult in eight clinics beginning in August 2016 and has scaled up the program since. Seven hospitals in the system currently field referrals, up from two at the pilot’s launch. Nearly 51,000 referrals have been made through the tool since the pilot began. In January, the platform was available in 29 clinics that made about 2,300 referrals per month. As of September, the program has reached 81 clinics making 4,100 referrals each month.