How do oncologists engage in curbside consults today?
The curbside consult got its name from the serendipitous meeting between colleagues in their clinic’s parking lot. In recent years, technology has pushed curbsides out of the parking lot and into unsecured email and text messages. Unfortunately, email and text are not ideal for curbside consults because they often produce unorganized and disjointed chains of communication that are easily overlooked or lost, especially when the treating physician is not known to the consultant. The informal nature of a curbside consult often means you have little idea if or when you’ll receive a response. Additionally, physicians often confer with physicians they know rather than with specialists most knowledgeable about their patient’s conditions. This tendency continues despite the increased ability to identify and contact experts via publications, conferences, and institutional websites.
Do curbside consults meet the needs of community oncologists?
Most oncologists haven’t stopped and considered the multiple friction points that, if eliminated, would make curbsides more efficient, effective, and enjoyable. As a general oncologist seeking advice, you likely experienced at least one of the following issues with curbsides:
- You wonder whether your personal network has the right expertise for your patient,
- You never heard back from a well-known opinion leader you contacted,
- You posted a question to an online community of experts or your other physician contacts only to receive a response after you made your treatment decision,
- You fear frequent consults are a burden on your colleagues,
- You avoid asking your colleagues questions because they might judge you.
It would be great if a community of curated experts were available to share their knowledge with you promptly and without judgment. And community oncologists aren’t the only individuals concerned with the standard curbside consult.
Curbsides don’t produce a rewarding experience for expert oncology specialists.
Oncology specialists are motivated to share their expertise to educate other oncologists because it benefits patients. In some cases, it is even educational for the consultant. It feels good to have an impact beyond the walls of your institution, especially when it helps improve the quality of care in the community. Curbsides help maintain professional relationships for future referrals. Unfortunately, the lack of dedicated tools for virtual curbside consults detracts from the positive experience of helping a colleague.
As an oncology specialist, have you ever:
- Missed an inquiry because it got buried in your inbox?
- Searched your email inbox for an inquiry only to discover later that it was in a text message?
- Wanted to follow up with an oncologist, but you couldn’t remember their name or find their inquiry?
- Had a colleague accidentally share patient-identifiable information with you, tempting you to ignore HIPAA protocols to avoid the cumbersome paperwork?
If you’ve experienced any of these minor inconveniences, a platform to organize, document, and track your curbsides may be right for you.
