Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) An Innovative Model for Shared Care

Providence Health Care partnered with the BC Shared Care Committee and Vancouver Coastal Health to facilitate collaboration with specialists and family physicians (FPs) in working together to improve care for patients with complex conditions. Lack of timely communication and access to specialists’ advice were identified by family physician’s (FPs) as a barrier leaving them with the options of lengthy wait times for specialist consults or referral to a local emergency room for specialist evaluation. To address this, an innovative model of shared care was developed involving a telephone advice line where FPs call one number and choose from a selection of specialty services for real-time telephone consultation. In the Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) model, the telephone call is routed directly to the specialist cell phone or pager for just-in-time advice.