The Peterson Center on Healthcare, in collaboration with Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield and research firm Mathematica, initiated Project Arkansas eConsultations (PARC), to evaluate the ability of eConsultations (eConsults) to expedite care, reduce cost, and enhance accessibility for patients covered by commercial health insurance. This pilot project focused on the implementation and outcomes of eConsults across 27 independent and health system primary care practices in Arkansas, a state which has a mix of patients living in both urban and rural areas with varying access to specialty care.

The partnership’s findings and results add evidence that eConsults hold promise to increase access and reduce costs.

In June 2023, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) included eConsults into their Making Care Primary model, a voluntary model that will be tested in eight states. The model aims to improve care management and coordination, equip primary care clinicians with tools to form partnerships with specialists, and leverage community-based connections to address patient health and social needs.