RACE™ (Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise)
RACE™ (Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise) is an innovative model of shared care where family physicians and nurse practitioners can call one telephone number and choose from a selection of specialty services for real-time advice.
The call is routed directly to the specialist’s cell phone or pager for “just in time” advice. For most patients, care planning decisions can be made when they are at their primary healthcare provider appointments instead of having to wait to see a specialist. Patients can thus stay comfortable and confident in their relationships with their primary healthcare providers.
RACE™ is based on a pilot study by the St. Paul’s Hospital Division of Cardiology and the Providence Health Care Department of Family Medicine in 2008. The RACE™ telephone advice line was launched at Providence Health Care and Vancouver Coastal Health in June 2010, in partnership with the Shared Care Committee. It is available for all family physicians and nurse practitioners across the region, Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PT).
This innovation was spread as part of the Connected Medicine collaborative.
