The Office of Telemedicine is excited to announce that as of July 1, 2022, Diabetes Mellitus eConsults are available for asynchronous provider-to-provider consultation for all those with JHM Epic access, supported by our specialists in adult Endocrinology.
eConsults are an Epic pathway for internal provider-to-provider consultation initiated by a generalist (usually primary care) who submits a specific question to a specialist for chart review and recommendations. Diabetes Mellitus eConsults are a cost-effective way to reduce wait time and increase patient access to endocrinologists for adult diabetes care and management. Diabetes Mellitus eConsults orders are not intended for type 1 diabetes.
The Diabetes Mellitus eConsult program is currently supported by the Maryland HSCRC’s Baltimore Metropolitan Diabetes Regional Partnership funding. During this funding period, patient consultation fees will be waived and the service will be free to patients for the foreseeable future.
What kinds of clinical questions can be asked in a Diabetes Mellitus eConsult?
This eConsult can be used to answer focused, non-urgent clinical questions about diabetes mellitus (other than type 1) in adult patients that can generally be answered by an endocrinologist after reviewing the patient’s chart. Glucose data or Hemoglobin A1c data should be available in EPIC from within 90-days of submitting the eConsult. Some examples of appropriate clinical questions for diabetes eConsult are:
- Selection of initial antihyperglycemic medication or sequential non-insulin add-on therapy
- Initiation of basal insulin therapy, addition of bolus insulin, and insulin titration
- Diagnosis and management of diabetes-related complications
- Confirmation of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (vs. alternative types of diabetes)
Diabetes eConsults are appropriate for straightforward clinical questions for an endocrinologist/diabetes specialist. Note that the endocrinologist reviewing the diabetes eConsult may recommend a referral for a comprehensive consultation with a diabetes specialist for more complex cases. Patients may also benefit from comprehensive Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) by a certified diabetes care and education specialist. Providers are encouraged to refer any newly diagnosed patients or patients with uncontrolled diabetes using “Ambulatory Referral to Diabetes Services/Education – REF20.”
In addition to Diabetes Mellitus eConsults, there are three other eConsults currently available. These are:
- Neurology eConsult (Migraine, Neurovascular Imaging Abnormality, TIA)
- Vascular Surgery eConsult (Vascular Imaging Question)
- Adult Spine Surgery eConsult (Spine Imaging Question)
All current eConsults are for adult patients only.
Check out the eConsult Workflow tip sheet here
Note – Historical eConsults for Dermatology and the OPAT program exist only for specific patient populations and is NOT for general use. If you have specific questions about their use, please contact the Office of Telemedicine at [email protected]
If your specialty is interested in developing an eConsult program, please contact the Office of Telemedicine at [email protected]
