A system for GPs to send formal advice requests to other specialists and receive a typed response within three days is expanding after a “really positive” response.

The eConsultant system — which currently lets GPs request clinical advice from dermatologists, endocrinologists and cardiologists — will be expanded next year to include respiratory, renal, neurology, obstetrics and infectious diseases specialists.

Former RACGP president Professor Claire Jackson says the Australian-first asynchronous advice model has been developed by the University of Queensland — where she is professor in general practice and primary care reform research — in partnership with the Mater Hospital Brisbane.

“The premise that we took was that this has got to be as easy as possible for the GPs to send the request and as easy as possible for the consultants to send it,” Professor Jackson said at the WONCA World Conference 2023 in Sydney last month.