Cardiology eConsult
CHF with COPD
SPECIALTY
Cardiology
CHIEF COMPLAINT
CHF with COPD
COMMENTS TO SPECIALIST
This is a very ill 68-year-old gentleman with COPD, hypertension, chronic systolic heart failure ejection fraction of 15%, morbid obesity, stage II chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus.
He has had frequent exacerbations of his COPD and heart failure. He was recently in the hospital and treated with IV diuretics.
Since returning to the facility last week, his shortness of breath has worsened, and his weight is increasing.
MAIN QUESTION
Please provide recommendations for managing his heart failure.
3 Key Benefits of eConsults: A Doctor’s Perspective
Featured in Electronic Healthcare Reporter September 2019
By Emilie de Ocampo, MD, Pediatrician, Golden Valley Health Centers
Learn more, direct from a primary care provider, about the telehealth benefits experienced through leveraging eConsults to improve access to care for patients facing severe access challenges.
As primary care providers (PCPs), we’re increasingly trying to manage total patient care for more patients and facing worsening challenges in ensuring our patients can access the care they need.
In 2009, a short ten years ago, there were an estimated 209,000 PCPs providing services for a patient population that has now already exceeded 325 million individuals.
The number of specialist referrals has doubled since 1999, increasing wait times and potentially diminishing overall healthcare quality for patients. Even more worrisome and adding to the challenge of access to specialty care is the projected shortage of up to 104,900 physicians in the United States by 2030—61,800 of whom will be specialists.
This worsening shortage in specialty care physicians adds to other factors challenging access, including Medicaid and Medicare acceptance rates, geographic barriers, and financial burden.
eConsults can provide a solution for this growing problem.