Transforming Access to Specialist Care for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The PACE Telemedicine Program

BACKGROUND: There are significant geographic disparities in the delivery of IBD healthcare in Ontario which may ultimately impact health outcomes. Telemedicine-based health services may potentially bridge gaps in access to gastroenterologists in remote and underserved areas. METHODS: We conducted a needs assessment for IBD specialist care in Ontario using health administrative data. As part of a separate initiative to address geographic disparities in access to care, we described the development and implementation of our Promoting Access and Care through Centres of Excellence (PACE) Telemedicine Program. Over the first 18 months, we measured wait times and potential cost savings. RESULTS: We found substantial deficiencies in specialist care early in the course of IBD and continuous IBD care in regions where the number of gastroenterologists per capita were low. The PACE Telemedicine Program enabled new IBD consultations within a median time of 17 days (interquartile range [IQR], 7–32 days) and visits for active IBD symptoms with a median time of 8.5 days (IQR, 4–14 days). Forty-five percent of new consultations and 83% of patients with active IBD symptoms were seen within the target wait time of two weeks. Telemedicine services resulted in an estimated cost savings of $47,565 among individuals who qualified for Ontario’s Northern Travel Grant. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of telemedicine services for IBD is highly feasible and can reduce wait times to see gastroenterologists that meet nationally recommended targets and can lead to cost savings.