The eConsult project explores enablers, barriers and the effectiveness of the online evaluation tool of the same name that is currently being used in Devon and Cornwall. A £75,000 project, it is co-funded by NHS Kernow Clinical and NHS Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Groups and the South West Academic Health Science Network.
This project critically responds to the need for independent evaluation on online consultation tools and addresses identified limitations of existing research by exploring the perspectives of both healthcare providers and patients and its cost implications. With the implementation of eConsult at an early stage and an increasing drive towards its expansion, an accurate understanding of its effectiveness is imperative.
Led by Dr Arunangsu Chatterjee, this timely research seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of eConsult using a mixed-methods design informed by Normalisation Process Theory.