eConsult Specialist Quality of Response (eSQUARE): A novel tool to measure specialist correspondence via electronic consultation

High-quality correspondence between healthcare providers is critical for effective patient care. We developed an assessment tool to measure the quality of specialist correspondence to primary care providers (PCPs) via electronic consultation (eConsult), where specialists provide advice without specialist-patient interactions. We incorporated fourteen previously described features of high-quality eConsult correspondence into an assessment tool named the eConsult Specialist Quality of Response (eSQUARE). Six PCPs and two specialists applied the 10-item eSQUARE tool to 30 eConsults of varying quality as informed by PCP survey data. Content, response process, and internal structure validity evidence was gathered. Psychometric properties were calculated using descriptive statistics and generalizability analyses. Mean total score for low-quality eConsults (M = 24 ± 5.6) was significantly lower than moderate-quality eConsults (M = 38 ± 4.7; p<0.001) which was significantly lower than high-quality eConsults (M = 46 ± 3.0; p = 0.002). Reliability measures were high, including generalizability coefficient (0.96), inter-item (≥0.55) and item-total correlations (≥0.68). A decision study demonstrated that a single rater was adequate to achieve a reliability measure of ≥0.70. This study demonstrates initial validity evidence including multiple reliability measures for the eSQUARE. A single rater is adequate to achieve reliability measures for formative feedback. Future studies can apply the eSQUARE when planning educational initiatives aiming to improve specialist-to-PCP correspondence via eConsult.