eConsult and eReferral supporting Mental Health & Addictions (MHA) Care
Mental illness is experienced by one in five Canadians in any given year1. Wait times for psychiatric services are extremely long, with an average wait time of 20.8 weeks in Canada.2
The Ontario eServices Program supports clinicians and patients navigating the health care system to address mental health & addictions.
Key takeaways
The Ontario eServices Program supports clinicians and patients navigating the health care system to address mental health & addictions.
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
In 2022, 24,616 eReferrals and 5,104 eConsults were processed related to MHA & Psychiatry in Ontario
Of the 24,616 eReferrals:
- There were 14,760 unique patients.
- The referrals were sent by 2,040 unique senders to 60 different receiving sites across the province
Of the 5,104 eConsults closed:
- 188 specialists responded to 2,198 clinicians
- Median time spent and response interval were 22 minutes & 1.7 days
- 71% were resolved without requiring an in-person appointment for the patient
I appreciate getting real time help especially with situations like psychiatry where the wait time is often long”
eConsult User
Very impressed with the time of the booking and contact and follow up email; very impressed and grateful
This referral process was very well organized and also informative
eReferral Patients
- Smetanin P, Stiff D, Briante C, Adair CE, Ahmad S, Khan M. The life and economic impact of major mental illnesses in Canada. 2011. Prepared for the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Toronto: RiskAnalytica.
- Barua B, Ren F. Waiting your turn – wait times for health care in Canada, 2016 Report. 2016.
Interested in learning more?
Interested in partnering with us or learning more about
what we can offer you? Please reach out here.
Get the latest resources and insights
-
Fiscal year 22/23 eReferral highlights
eReferral deployment across Ontario, led by the Ontario eServices Program, contributed to a large degree…
-
eConsult: A case study from a specialist perspective on outcomes of providing consultation to primary care providers using eConsult
Although widely occurring, requests for informal consultations from primary care providers to specialists can interrupt…
-
How AI scribes enable better interactions with patients during appointments
AI scribes are improving patient-clinician interactions by reducing administrative tasks, allowing clinicians to be more…
-
Patient experience with eReferral in Ontario
Patients who receive appointment information and reminders through eReferral, report an improved healthcare experience and…