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.​

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

1. 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.
2. Barua B, Ren F. Waiting your turn – wait times for health care in Canada, 2016 Report. 2016.