Overview

Context

This specification defines messaging patterns to support models of eReferral and eConsult where system integrations are needed to enable clinical workflow and information sharing.

eReferrals and eConsults are created, submitted, tracked and managed electronically. When provider workflow considerations are addressed, eReferrals/eConsults have the potential to streamline and improve the patient referral and provider-to-provider consultation process compared to traditional paper-based or fax-based methods.

eReferral vs eConsult

An eReferral refers to patient referrals that are created, securely transmitted, tracked and managed electronically.

A patient referral is the process by which a healthcare professional directs a patient to a different healthcare professional or organization for care or services. A common example is from a primary care provider to a specialist but can also include requests for other services, such as diagnostic testing, home and community care or long-term care.

An eConsult refers to a consultation between health professionals conducted electronically.

A consultation occurs when a health professional seeks the expertise of another regarding a patient’s care, and can support consultations between health professionals from a range of major medical and behavioral health disciplines, including primary care professionals, specialists and allied health professionals.

Through eConsults, the requesting professional can send relevant patient information and specific questions to another health care professional and receive timely recommendations and/or guidance on the patient’s care, typically through asynchronous electronic communication channels.

These are distinct concepts with similar technical workflows that typically result in different outcomes:

an eReferral typically results in the booking of an appointment but, where supported, may result in the provision of advice only an eConsult typically results in the provision of advice only (potentially advice to refer the patient)

Scope

This specification details the full workflow of the referral process, from the referring provider's submission of the request to the service provider's completion of the service, and includes intermediate steps such as requests for additional information, appointment bookings, etc. However, for the initial implementation of this specification, only the submission of a new service request from the referring provider to CAT is supported.

It is also worth noting that the interactions between CAT and the service provider as described in this specification may be refined in future phases of the Alberta eReferral and eConsult implementation.