Summus, a virtual specialty care company, has launched a new tool connecting providers with specialists for eConsults.
The tool, dubbed Summus Peer-to-Peer, offers virtual curbside consults to support primary care physicians (PCPs) by leveraging its curated network of specialists and subspecialists. Integrating peer-to-peer communication enhances value-based care models and optimizes patient care, the company argues, reducing costly referrals.
Summus bills itself as a marketplace for medical expertise. The platform facilitates interactions with the aim to help clinicians make better medical decisions. Using an escalation workflow and customizable specialist networks, the platform’s features aim to maximize efficiency and adapt to various clinical scenarios.
It is common practice for doctors to support one another in patient care, according to Summus Chief Medical Officer Mary Mulcare, M.D. “While communication is increasingly challenging in today's healthcare environment where physicians are seeing more patients, assuming greater administrative responsibilities and experiencing burnout, it is as important as ever and needs to meet the expectations of a physician's workflow," she said in a press release. "Summus Peer-to-Peer provides a new, streamlined way for physicians to access specialist expertise to get valuable, real-time answers to help direct patient care."
Some current and prospective clients are currently engaging Summus to support primary care in more than 35 states, a company representative told Fierce Healthcare, with thousands of physicians in their networks having access to the peer-to-peer platform.
"Our new Summus Peer-to-Peer solution combines a marketplace model with technology and applying a deep understanding of clinical pathways and workflows," Julian Flannery, Summus CEO and founder, said in the announcement. "This innovative model was designed by and for physicians to help more people in their healthcare journeys."
Summus has more than 5,100 specialists in its network, including from top academic medical centers, the company says. It has more than 2.1 million members globally.