Ministry of Defence Chooses eConsult for Online Consultations

• eConsult Health is providing online consultation access to the Ministry of Defence, across 124 international sites
• 183,500 personnel will have access to remote online consultations
• eConsult is used in over 2,800 NHS GP practices nationwide, servicing around 1 in 3 patients

Today, eConsult announced that it has been chosen by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to be its provider of online health consultations. eConsult was selected as the online consultation provider for all medical centres across the 124 MOD sites. The sites are based in the UK and across the globe, as far as Nepal, The Falklands and Belize. Around 183,500 military personnel will now use the online consultation platform.

As part of the mobilisation process, eConsult worked with the MOD teams to rapidly roll out online consultations to every MOD medical centre in the UK within just 24 hours. This ensures that all personnel have remote access to consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This roll out included the implementation of eConsult, training for MOD clinicians and mass-awareness for all personnel. HMS Neptune Submariner Medical Centre also became the 2000th site to go live with eConsult. 

Commander Andrew Horlock, RN MSc, RPA, RWA, CRadP, DHDO Project Manager, HQ Joint Medical Group commented: “The Defence Healthcare Delivery Optimisation programme and eConsult Health has delivered eConsult at pace across 124 Defence Primary Healthcare facilities in five weeks both in the UK firm base and international arena, to as far afield as Brunei, Nepal and the Falklands.  This has given the ability for approximately 183,500 services personnel and their dependants to remotely access Defence Primary Healthcare, through their mobile phone, computer or tablet.  This has also enabled clinicians to continue to consult with patients whilst limiting patient attendance at Primary Healthcare Facilities during the COVID 19 crisis.”

eConsult has seen increased growth in recent months in the wake of the pandemic and the necessity for virtual triage. Demand for its remote access to healthcare professionals has never been higher. As the market leader in online consultation and the first choice of the NHS, eConsult is now used in over 2,800 practices across the UK and available to 21.2 million patients.

‘eConsultations’ collect patient information about symptoms and key information up front, allowing the practice to triage the needs of its patient population. This allows GPs to identify, prioritise, and treat patients remotely without risking more infections. During the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, approximately 95% of online consultations are resolved without the need for a face-to-face consultation without sacrificing thorough triage.

 Dr Murray Ellender, GP and Chief Executive of eConsult, commented, “This is a fantastic move for us and we are thrilled to have partnered with the MOD, supporting their staff with remote medical consultations. With the contagious nature of COVID-19, it was key that we acted fast and gave all personnel quick access to their local medical centres, without having to come in to contact with another person. As we look to a post-COVID world, we are considering the ‘new normal’ in primary healthcare and learning from the efficiency of the digital triage first approach. The response from the MOD is a huge step in the right direction.”