TY - JOUR
T1 - Implementation of a Novel Occupational and Environmental Medicine Specialty Teleconsultation Service
T2 - The VHA Experience
AU - Eaton, Jennifer L.
AU - Mohr, David C.
AU - Mohammad, Amir
AU - Kirkhorn, Steven R
AU - Gerstel-Santucci, Christina
AU - McPhaul, Kathleen
AU - Hodgson, Michael J.
PY - 2015/2/13
Y1 - 2015/2/13
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) physician specialty practices continue to grow in scope and intensity across the Veterans Health Administration. This study characterizes the implementation of a novel, nationwide telemedicine program that provides OEM specialty consultation to providers across the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: We examined provider requests and specialist responses for a 6-month pilot from May to October 2013. Characteristics of consult users, determinants of case complexity, and specific applications of OEM specialty expertise were identified. RESULTS: Over a 6-month period, employee occupational health providers consulted the OEM telemedicine pilot a total of 65 times. Employee occupational health providers without formal training repeatedly identified complex cases related to work and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The program has created a new system management solution to deliver expert, in-depth consultation and real-time provider education in OEM.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) physician specialty practices continue to grow in scope and intensity across the Veterans Health Administration. This study characterizes the implementation of a novel, nationwide telemedicine program that provides OEM specialty consultation to providers across the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: We examined provider requests and specialist responses for a 6-month pilot from May to October 2013. Characteristics of consult users, determinants of case complexity, and specific applications of OEM specialty expertise were identified. RESULTS: Over a 6-month period, employee occupational health providers consulted the OEM telemedicine pilot a total of 65 times. Employee occupational health providers without formal training repeatedly identified complex cases related to work and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The program has created a new system management solution to deliver expert, in-depth consultation and real-time provider education in OEM.
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U2 - 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000330
DO - 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000330
M3 - Article
C2 - 25654518
AN - SCOPUS:84930510547
VL - 57
SP - 173
EP - 177
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
SN - 1076-2752
IS - 2
ER -