eConsult for family physicians and nurse practitioners

eConsult has been available since May 2018 and allows primary care providers and medical residents (under their supervisor) to access specialist advice for non-urgent, patient specific questions through the provincial Electronic Health Record's secure platform. 

Currently there are 13 specialties available through eConsult: 

Bilingual

• ​cardiology 
• ​dermatology 
• ​gastroenterology 
• ​geriatric medicine 
• ​hematology 
• neurology 
• ​obstetrics/gynecology 
• ​orthopedics 
• psychiatry 

English only

• ​chronic pain management 
• ​endocrinology 
• ​pediatrics 
• spine surgery (orthopedics) 

eConsult is an electronic communication between a primary care provider and a specialist. An eConsult occurs when a primary care provider sends a patient specific, non-urgent request for advice to a specialist through the Electronic Health Record (EHR). eConsult provides advice to the primary care provider, who continues to manage the patient's care in the community. It may result in a patient not needing a face-to-face consult with the specialist. If a face-to-face consult is required, the referral for this consultation would proceed in the usual manner that is followed in your area. 

eConsult offers a wide range of benefits for primary care providers. eConsult provides quick access to specialist advice for non-urgent questions, leading to quicker treatment for patients and reducing the need for a face-to-face referral. It improves care coordination and collaboration between clinicians and enhances provider and patient satisfaction.  

During the eConsult Proof of Concept, 67% of primary care providers who were considering referring a patient to a specialist were able to manage the case without needing an in-person specialist visit, thanks to the advice received through eConsult. 

Primary care providers, including family physicians and nurse practitioners, with an active Medicare billing number and access to the EHR can submit eConsults to 13 specialty groups. 

You can access eConsult by signing into the provincial EHR through the Health Portal. 

eConsult is available through New Brunswick’s provincial Electronic Health Record (EHR).

To request EHR access, submit a form using the eHealthNB Centre. If you do not have an eHealthNB Centre account, click the ‘GET STARTED’ button and select the location 01. – EHR – Electronic Health Record. If you have questions, please send an email to [email protected]. 

eConsult is available through the secure provincial Electronic Health Record (EHR) and adheres to requirements of the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act. All data is stored and transmitted securely and is monitored to maintain compliance and security. We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our users while delivering a valuable service. 

• eConsult Quick Reference Guide - Primary care providers (PDF 271 KB)
• eConsult Quick Reference Guide - Medical residents (PDF 220 KB)
• eConsult Quick Reference Guide - Resident supervisors (PDF 212 KB)