eConsults With Mayo Clinic Off To A Great Start

A major benefit of membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network is the ability of Middlesex providers to request eConsults with Mayo Clinic physicians. An eConsult provides a second opinion that our providers can offer to our patients in the local setting.

The Mayo Clinic eConsult Process

Once a Middlesex Hospital physician determines that a patient is appropriate for an eConsult with the Mayo Clinic, the physician gathers all the pertinent information required in electronic form – including a clinical summary of the patient’s diagnosis and condition; laboratory reports, radiology reports, pathology reports, and any other information that may help to fully familiarize the Mayo Clinic physician with the patient’s clinical status. This comprehensive clinical profile is then uploaded to a secure online portal, where Mayo triages the request to the appropriate Mayo specialist. Within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the eConsult request, the Mayo specialist responds to the Middlesex Hospital physician directly with a clinical note, that is then placed in the patient's medical record.

Since Middlesex Hospital joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network in October of 2015, physicians specializing in cancer care, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, pulmonary medicine and urology, among other fields, have requested eConsults with Mayo Clinic specialists for a significant number of patients. These second opinions provide patients additional peace of mind, in a timely manner, while they continue to receive high quality care, close to home, at Middlesex Hospital.

Dr. Christina Y. Kim, a family medicine physician with Middlesex Hospital Primary Care, found the eConsult process quick, easy, efficient and streamlined.

“Being able to submit the clinical information electronically was extremely helpful in moving forward with a treatment decision for the patient,” she says. “The eConsult provided my patient with reassurance and security in knowing how best to proceed with a complicated medical situation. Having the eConsult available is incredibly valuable for both patients and physicians,” she added.

Middlesex Hospital oncologist, Robert Levy, M.D., has also been impressed by the eConsult process.

“I have come to learn over the past few months that Mayo Clinic is a household name for many patients, that signifies a very high level of care. Nearly all of the second opinions I have received for my patients from Mayo Clinic physicians have confirmed that our treatment plans are appropriate. This gives our patients reassurance that Middlesex Hospital is also providing a very high level of care.”

According to Middlesex Hospital oncologist, Susanna Hong, “The Mayo eConsult process helps avoids delays in treatment that would normally occur with getting traditional second opinions. This process avoids the additional time it takes to set up an appointment with another physician, which can sometimes take several weeks, and eliminates the need to for the patient to travel. It can speed up treatment at a critical time for the patient.”

For more information about Middlesex Hospital’s collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, go to www.midhosp.org.