Consultations with cardiology specialists are now available electronically at Marshall Health.
Through this service, primary care providers communicate directly with the cardiologists in order to answer a specific patient-focused question. Upon request, the cardiology specialist reviews the patient’s health information and any relevant testing, such as echocardiograms and stress testing, to generate a formal opinion in answer to the provider’s question.
eConsults are used to provide recommendations for questions related to blood pressure and cholesterol management, further testing or correlation with unexpected test results.
“eConsults are one way we can help expedite care for patients in situations where the patient may not necessarily need to be seen by a specialist in person,” said Ellen Thompson, M.D., a professor of cardiovascular services at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine who specializes in non-invasive cardiology. “eConsults provide fast, convenient and low-cost access to specialty care.”
Primary care providers interested in requesting a consult may contact Marshall Cardiology at 304-691-8500. A nurse will arrange the consult with the patient. Results will be returned to the requesting provider within 72 hours. In some cases, however, the specialist may decide that an in-person appointment is necessary and will make that recommendation in the eConsult answer to the referring provider.
The cardiologists at Marshall Health participating in eConsults specialize in electrophysiology and heart failure, as well as general cardiology. To learn more, please visit www.marshallhealth.org/services/cardiology/cardiology-econsults.