When a primary care physician (PCP) needs a quick answer from a specialist, the informal curbside consult is usually the go-to option. But what if a specialist isn’t readily available, or a patient lacks the time or money to meet with a specialist should a follow-up be needed? And what should the PCP tell the patient in the meantime?

These are all common challenges in the patient-PCP-specialist communication loop that the AAMC’s Project CORE (Coordinating Optimal Referral Experiences) successfully tackles. 

Now in its fifth year, Project CORE is designed to improve care coordination between PCPs and specialists. The model uses two key elements — enhanced referrals and eConsults embedded in the electronic medical record (EMR) — to facilitate more efficient, effective communication between them. 

Using an eConsult, PCPs can quickly determine the best course of action with the guidance of a specialist. And should a patient need to see a specialist in person, that provider is equipped with an enhanced referral based on a specialized template full of information that helps ensure the visit is most effective in meeting the patient’s needs. 

In its first three years, Project CORE’s participating institutions experienced an 84% increase in timely access to specialty care and avoided an estimated 7,360 unneeded specialty referrals. As of 2018, the program has been implemented at 27 institutions where more than 2 million primary care patients can benefit from the model. Initially funded by a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation award, the program continues to grow, with a new collaborative of academic medical centers launching this year.

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