Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise: An Innovative Model of Shared Care
Since 2010, RACE has been connecting primary care providers to their specialist colleagues for urgent advice within two hours. Managed by Providence Health Care, RACE streamlines the patient journey through improved provider communication and timely specialist advice. RACE is funded in partnership by Doctors of BC and the BC government through the Shared Care (SC) committee.
Primary care providers can either place an online request using RACEapp+ or call a telephone line (1-877-696-2131) for urgent specialist advice within two hours.
In the RACE model, online requests and telephone calls are routed directly to specialists’ cell phones for “just in time” advice.
With over 100,000 calls to date, RACE helps simplify the patient journey, avoid system costs, and allows for direct connection with specialists. RACE can help primary care providers with care plans and managing patients in their office. RACE specialist providers are asked to provide timely, collegial, and educational advice that will help build relationships and capacity of primary care providers.
Please note: RACE is not a full consult service, virtual patient visit or an emergency video call.
100,000+
calls since the start of RACE line
1700+
specialists on call roster
7000+
primary care users
~1600
calls/requests per month (~20,000/year)
76%
of calls avoided an emergency department visit*
75%
of calls avoided a referral to a specialist*
99%
of users satisfied with the RACE interaction*
*Vancouver 2023 Survey Report
When to use RACE
Consider calling RACE when you need
A great example of how innovation can drive patient-centred care.
Primary care providers are empowered to provide best possible care while avoiding unnecessary specialist consultations and ER visits for their patients when a simple phone call between providers can suffice.
—Robert Levy, Specialist
FAQs
-
The Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) program is accessible through the RACEapp+ and the web browser.
You can also phone the RACE telephone line by calling 604-696-2131 or toll free 1-877-696-2131.
Note that the majority of specialties are available on the RACE App only.
-
Monday to Friday, 0800-1700 (excluding statutory holidays)
RACE is to provide support for primary care providers during usual hours patients are seen in their office.
-
Here is a full list of current specialty services by region.
-
See the RACEApp+ page for more information. If you need assistance with a password reset or email preference switch, please email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca.
-
PG10001: Urgent specialist advice – Initiated by a specialist, family physician or health care practitioner. Verbal, real-time response within 2 hours of the initiating physician’s or practitioner’s request – $60.00
PG14021: Family physician with consultative expertise telephone advice – Initiated by a specialist, family physician, or allied care provider. Response within 2 hours – $60.00
G10002: $40.00/15 minute interval
-
See the Family Practice Services Committee Telephone Fees Billing Guide
PG14018 – Family physician urgent telephone advice from a physician with consultative expertise – $40.00.
-
Yes. RACE is meant to provide support for primary care providers. It is important to keep in mind the communication channels and ensure decisions regarding care are communicated through the patient’s family physician.
-
If you do not receive a call back within 2 hours, please call 604-696-2131 (Press 0) or email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca for administrative support.
-
We encourage requesters to use a standard, structured communication approach including:
Pertinent medical history
Current situation
A specific question
When using the phone line, specialists will also require:
Patient’s name
DOB
PHN
Address (for Yukon patients)
-
According to billing code PG14018, the care plan must be recorded in the patient’s chart and must include patient identifiers, reason for the care plan, list of co-morbidities, safety risks, list of interventions, what referrals to be made, what follow-up has been arranged.
Documentation procedures differ between regulatory bodies. Please follow your regulatory body’s documentation process. For Family Physicians they are required to document the following:
Patient’s Name
Date of Service
Diagnosis
Reason for need of Clinical Action Plan
Name of specialist/GP with specialty training & their role in provision of care
Elements of the Clinical Action Plan determined
Patient risks based on assessment of appropriate domains (list of relevant co-morbidities and safety risks)
What referral will be made, what follow-up has been arranged (including timelines), as well as advanced planning information if appropriate.
Start times of service.
-
According to billing code PG10001, an adequate medical record/chart entry, including time of initiating request and time of response as well as advice given, and to who, is required.
RACE line specialists provide advice to primary care providers on specific patient care. The primary care provider remains the most responsible provider.
-
Patient data (including the patient’s name, date of birth and personal health number) is stored in RACEapp+ for one year.
-
You should always attempt to contact the patient’s specialist first. However, if you are unable to connect with them, consider placing a RACE request.
-
No. RACE is only for verbal telephone communication.
Please visit eCASE for e-mail advice. -
Phone: 604-696-2131 (Press 0)
Email: RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca
-
Email RACE@providencehealth.bc.ca with information about your inquiry.
-
No. The RACE model supports patients of BC and Yukon.
-
If you have a patient with a specific inquiry, RACE has WCB as a specialty. Patient WCB claim number will need to be entered as part of the RACE request.
-
Some specialty areas provide support provincially, while other services have opted to answer requests from their respective region, due to current capacity. If a specialty service appears on your RACE app menu, then you can place a request for advice.
-
A BC medical license will cover specialists to provide telephone advice for a Yukon patient according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and the Yukon Medical Council on Standard of Practice for Telemedicine (page 2 section 3.2 B).
Yukon Medical Council on Standard of Practice for Telemedicine