ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Delayed referrals to specialists often result in increased morbidity and mortality. LOCAL PROBLEM: A time delay in specialist care access of over 1 month identified a gap in efficient care provision in a rural south central United States outreach clinic within a multispecialty group affiliated with a hospital system. METHODS: A pilot project with a mixed-methods design that compared the established referral process with direct primary provider referral to a specialist's electronic medical record (EMR) schedule. Authors conducted the study over 16 weeks using a convenience sample size of 74 patients. INTERVENTIONS: Direct primary care nurse practitioner provider to specialist EMR schedule referral based on specialty referral needs. RESULTS: All electronically referred patients were seen by specialists in less than 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: All electronic specialist referrals were completed more expediently than those referred by the standard process and patients reported an efficient and satisfactory process.
