AAMC Project CORE® Playbook Quiz

Many health systems decide to implement eConsults only, at the start. This may be due to other referral optimization efforts, team bandwidth, or strategic goals. The Project CORE® playbook provides strategies and best practices for implementing an eConsults program across ambulatory care and other settings.

Whether your health system is launching or expanding an eConsult program, the Project CORE® playbook offers practical guidance for leaders. It covers engaging specialties and primary care providers (PCPs), identifying eConsultants, developing specialty-specific templates, establishing quality oversight, promoting high-value use cases, and setting program metrics and milestones.

The overall goal of Project CORE is to improve communication and collaboration between PCPs and specialists by implementing eConsults and improving referrals. The playbook details these strategies including insights for engaging specialties and PCPs, identifying your eConsultants, developing specialty-specific templates for eConsults and referrals, establishing quality oversight and improvement plans, promoting co-management discussions, and developing program metrics and milestones.

Great! The Project CORE® model recommends implementing and optimizing eConsults and enhanced referrals for your internal providers first and then considering opening to external providers once the program is well established and there is capacity.

Most Project CORE health systems implement the program first for their internal PCPs and specialists on their shared EHR and then expand to external providers as there is demand and capacity. However, some health systems may implement the program externally first if, for example, the majority of their PCPs are external or community based. This can be achieved through EHR-based tools or other platforms. Whether you are starting internally or externally first, the principles and strategies described in the Project CORE playbook will be applicable to your program.

Terrific! Executive leadership support is critical to establishing a scalable and sustainable program. The Executive Sponsor for the program will help to align the goals and program with the health systems’ strategic goals, identify and secure protected time for critical team roles, provide financial resources, and ensure strategic support by promoting the program and helping the team to address implementation barriers.

Before beginning the project, the Project CORE® model recommends identifying a senior leader or sponsor who can help to ensure strategic alignment with other health system priorities and dedicate resources, including a project team, to lead implementation and quality oversight. The senior sponsor is usually a physician leader or executive. The Project CORE playbook will help you to communicate program benefits to key stakeholders at your health system as well as identify key team roles and responsibilities, including recommended FTE for each role.