A cost-effectiveness analysis of cardiology eConsults for Medicaid patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of electronic consultations (eConsults) for cardiology compared with traditional face-to-face consults.

STUDY DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis for a subset of Medicaid-insured patients in a cluster-randomized trial of eConsults versus the traditional face-to-face consultation process in a statewide federally qualified health center.

METHODS: A total of 369 Medicaid patients were referred for cardiology consultations by primary care providers who were randomly assigned to use either eConsults or their usual face-to-face referral process. Primary care providers in the eConsult arm transmitted consults to cardiologists using a secure peer-to-peer communication platform in an electronic health record. Intention-to-treat analysis was used to assess the total cost of care and cost across 7 categories: inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, pharmacy, labs, cardiac procedures, and "all other." Costs are from the payer's perspective.

RESULTS: Six months after the cardiology consult, patients in the eConsult group had significantly lower mean unadjusted total costs by $655 per patient, or lower mean costs by $466 per patient when adjusted for non-normality, compared with those in the face-to-face arm. The eConsult group had a significantly lower cost by $81 per patient in the outpatient cardiac procedures category.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that eConsults are associated with total cost savings to payers due principally to reductions in the cost of cardiac outpatient procedures.