Integrating Telemedicine Into Training: Adding Value to Graduate Medical Education Through Electronic Consultations

Lack of timely access to high-quality specialty care in the United States remains an enormous challenge, especially for uninsured and rural populations. Over 70% of federally qualified health centers reported barriers to specialty care for their patients, leading to diagnostic delays and poor health outcomes. A recent study found that 86% of referral coordinators in a community health center cited patient insurance as the most important driver of poor access to specialty care. The increasing pressure for primary care clinicians to manage complex patients in shorter visits may also incentivize over-referrals: The US referral rates doubled from 1999 to 2009. These trends, as well as an ongoing national emphasis on cost savings in health care, have led to a recent increase in the use of telemedicine. Learning how to utilize telemedicine has become more relevant for trainees preparing to enter the physician workforce. Integrating telemedicine into graduate medical education (GME) curricula provides an important mechanism for improving trainee education on value-based care and increasing access to specialty care.

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