Impact of the Connected Medicine collaborative in improving access to specialist care: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: In 2017, the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement launched the Connected Medicine collaborative to support the implementation, spread and adaptation of 2 innovative remote consult solutions - the Champlain Building Access to Specialists through eConsultation (BASE) eConsult service and the Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) service - across Canada. We evaluated the impact of the programs implemented through the collaborative.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from provincial teams that participated in the Connected Medicine collaborative, which took place between June 2017 and December 2018 in 7 provinces across Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador).

How long are Canadians waiting to access specialty care? Retrospective study from a primary care perspective.

Objective: To calculate patient wait times for specialist care using data from primary care clinics across Canada.

Design: Retrospective chart audit.

Setting: Primary care clinics.