Changing Healthcare Through Connection: The Impact of Peer Consultation

We believe that impact matters—and so does measuring it. From reducing waitlists to improving healthcare access, our mission is to make meaningful changes in healthcare, and research is a vital part of understanding and amplifying that impact.

When we started Virtual Hallway, we believed that getting two providers talking to each other could change the course of a patient's treatment. What we didn't anticipate was the power of doing this over and over again—how these thousands of individual conversations could accumulate to create systemic change.

?Our research efforts focus on evaluating both the quantitative and qualitative outcomes of integrating peer-to-peer consults through Virtual Hallway.

Key Findings from Recent Studies

Recently, we've been collaborating with academic partners to evaluate our platform's role in transforming access to specialist care. Here are some of the key findings from our latest research:

1. Avoiding In-Person Referrals: The latest research, published in Implementation Science Communications (2024), found that 84% of Virtual Hallway consultations avoided the need for in-person specialist referrals. This means that a significant number of patients received timely guidance without the prolonged wait associated with traditional referral processes. By avoiding unnecessary referrals, we also alleviate pressure on specialist services, allowing them to focus on the cases that truly require their attention.
2. Return on Investment: The study also found that the system delivered a return on investment of 1.8:1. For every dollar invested in our platform, healthcare systems see nearly double the value returned. This ROI is only in direct costs, and does not include indirect costs such as value of reduced wait times, earlier diagnosis and treatment, fewer missed work days or reduced productivity.
3. Provider Satisfaction: Healthcare providers were overwhelmingly satisfied, with 96% reporting positive experiences using the platform. The ease of use and the efficiency gains have resonated with both primary care providers and specialists, enhancing their ability to deliver high-quality care.

Enhancing Patient Care During Wait Times

Another study in Frontiers in Public Health (2023) showed that these provider-to-provider consultations reduced the need for formal referrals and also ensured that even when in-person consultations were still needed, patient care was enhanced during the waiting period. Specifically, 90% of patients who required in-person follow-ups experienced improved care while waiting, due to the advice provided during the initial consultation. This enhancement of interim care can prevent conditions from worsening and provides peace of mind for both patients and their families.

The ability to deliver timely support during the waiting period is one of the features that makes this system stand out. By giving primary care providers immediate access to specialist insights, we're able to close gaps in care that traditionally left patients in limbo.?

Future Directions: Addressing Healthcare Gaps

We're excited to present more of our findings at the upcoming HIMSS Eastern Canada Chapter (HIMSS Section de l’Est du Canada) conference, where we will go a bit deeper into how the impact of peer-to-peer consultations goes beyond just immediate outcomes—it’s about creating a more connected healthcare ecosystem. Looking ahead, we're committed to exploring new questions: How can we further improve the quality of consultations? What impact is there on emergency room visits?

These questions drive our ongoing research and development efforts. We understand that the healthcare landscape is continuously evolving, and our role is to stay ahead of these changes to ensure that our platform continues to meet the needs of both providers and patients.

Join Us on This Journey

If you're curious about our journey and want to stay updated on future questions we're exploring, follow us here. Together, we can drive meaningful change and make high-quality healthcare more accessible for everyone.

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Also, we will be at FMF in BC next week! Come chat!

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