eConsult and eReferral Utilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The benefits of the Ontario eServices Program include:​

• Administrative ​Time Savings​
• Improved Clinician Experience​
• Improved Patient Experience​

Quick Facts​

The Ontario eServices Program delivers digital services that:​​

• support clinical workflows​
• facilitate smoother transitions in care ​​

Though eConsult and eReferral were already being deployed in Ontario, the establishment of the Ontario eServices Program occurred in ​March 2020​

More than 154,000 eReferrals and eConsults were submitted between April 2020 and December 2020​

eConsult saw an initial surge in primary care provider adoption and usage between February March 2020; between April and December 2020 there was a 16% increase in registered users and a 33% increase in active users​

eReferral saw significant improvements throughout the pandemic, including a 93% increase in the number of active senders and a 327% increase ​in referral volumes from April to December ​

It is very valuable to have ​access to timely advice especially during Covid pandemic.

The Pandemic has made electronic referrals a necessity. Easy to use too

Ontario eServices Program User​s

I was pleasantly surprised how quickly the process, from speaking with the physician, to the medications required and acquired, to the appointment made and confirmed. Pretty amazing.

Ontario eServices ​Program Patient​