Virtual Hallway is an online scheduling platform that allows primary care providers (physicians and nurse practitioners) to connect with specialists in PEI and Nova Scotia to receive patient-specific advice through a phone consultation, helping to streamline patient care. The quick and efficient peer-to-peer consult allows for specialist input on a patient’s condition and care plan and helps determine the need for an in-person referral.
Island primary care providers can currently access more than 100 specialists across more than 30 specialty areas of medicine for a peer-to-peer consult via the platform. Specialist appointments for a peer-to-peer consult are available within less than five days, with many specialists in both provinces offering same-day availability.
Recent evaluation results indicate that 87% of consultations avoided the need for an in-person referral to a specialist and, where avoiding a referral is not the goal, the consultations through the platform contributed to improved referrals and patient care while waiting for in-person consults.
Use of Virtual Hallway is optional – all Health PEI physicians, nurse practitioners and specialists are invited to register on the platform at no cost.
“Virtual Hallway will be extremely valuable to Island health care as it provides a fast and easy way to connect family physicians and nurse practitioners with specialty services in real-time. The kinds of quick hallway consults that happen in hospitals and improve patient care are now available virtually, giving primary care teams more access to support and ultimately benefiting patients.”
– Dr. Kathie McNally, Health PEI Chief Medical Officer.