“This gets us answers quickly, and it frees up specialists to see patients who are most in need of their care,”
Dr. Deb Gerson
When Dr. Deb Gerson, Americares Free Clinics director of medical services, began treating a patient with a new case of type 2 diabetes, she noted his case was unusual: He was young, not overweight and had no family history of diabetes.Reviewing his chart, she noticed the results from a recent abdominal scan for an unrelated issue were also unusual: There were iron deposits in his liver and pancreas.
Dr. Gerson didn’t have to wait to find out if the deposits were related to the diabetes: Within 48 hours, she knew the best next steps for her patient. Better: Her patient didn’t need to travel to another doctor. Instead, his charts and scans made the trip to a specialist — via ConferMED, an eConsult program made available to Americares Free Clinics through an affiliation with ConferMED and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation.
Using a secure platform, health providers like Dr. Gerson are able to quickly connect one-on-one with specialists across Connecticut. Providers speak to each other via an online dashboard over which they can securely share medical records and reports.
“The wait for many of our specialists can be months. This gets us answers quickly, and it frees up specialists to see patients who are most in need of their care,” says Dr. Gerson. “My questions are answered within 48 hours, so I’m able to get back to the patients and let them know the next step.”
Through the program, Americares Free Clinics patients can continue to see their Americares Free Clinic primary care provider — a medical provider they already know and trust. Patients avoid common barriers to specialty care like cost, travel challenges and having to use an interpreter. As an added benefit, Americares providers learn new ways to treat patients.
Dr. Gerson’s patient is just one of many Americares Free Clinics staff and patients who have benefitted from the program. Since its adoption in March, Americares Free Clinic providers have consulted over 55 times with their ConferMED colleagues.
“If I send out for something I didn’t know how to handle before, and I get my eConsult back with next steps and tests, I already know the next steps for the next patient I see with that condition,” says Dr. Gerson. “I’m better able to treat them and care for them.” The partnership has been a win-win for patients and providers and is another innovative way Americares is improving outcomes for our community.
Dr. Gerson connected with a ConferMED specialist about her diabetic patient, and within 48 hours she knew the next steps for him in the workup of suspected hemochromatosis. This condition can cause iron deposits in organs, and when that iron is deposited in the pancreas it can cause diabetes. He began treatment quickly, having experienced the highest quality of care