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)