Unlocking Specialist Advice: Example eConsult Questions Across 40+ Specialties

When you're faced with a complex or uncertain clinical scenario, an eConsult can provide timely, case-specific insight to help guide patient care. Whether it's interpreting ambiguous lab results, choosing the right imaging modality, or deciding when to refer, eConsults offer an efficient, secure way to collaborate with specialists, without the delays and paperwork of a traditional referral.

At Alethea, we've built an intuitive, physician-designed eConsult platform that enables Primary Care Providers (PCPs) to ask focused clinical questions and receive specialist responses in as little as 24 hours. To help you get started, we've compiled over 150 real-world example questions PCPs can ask across a wide range of specialties.

These examples reflect common clinical scenarios in Canadian primary care, including rural and remote settings, and demonstrate how eConsults can be used to enhance care planning, streamline decision-making, and support continuity of care.

Why Use eConsults?

eConsults allow clinicians to:

• Get timely answers from specialists (in 24 - 48 hours when using Alethea)
• Avoid unnecessary referrals and patient travel
• Improve triage and diagnosis
• Attach clinical notes, images, and diagnostic results
• Enhance continuity of care

What Types of Clinical Questions Can eConsults Answer?

From determining the cause of chronic joint pain to clarifying next steps after abnormal imaging, the types of questions eConsults can address are wide-ranging, and often practice-changing.

In Cardiology, PCPs often ask whether anticoagulation is needed in patients with borderline CHADS2-VASc scores or how to interpret borderline stress test results. These insights help providers manage cardiovascular risk early, without defaulting to referral.

Dermatology eConsults are frequently used to differentiate common skin conditions—such as distinguishing between eczema, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis—and to determine whether a changing lesion warrants biopsy.

In Endocrinology, clinicians may seek guidance on titrating insulin for a patient with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, managing thyroid abnormalities during pregnancy, or initiating osteoporosis treatment in older adults.

Gastroenterology questions often relate to PPI-refractory GERD, unexplained elevated liver enzymes, or the need for further evaluation of abdominal symptoms when initial imaging is inconclusive.

For Mental Health, eConsults can support providers in identifying appropriate therapy-based interventions, navigating community mental health resources, and managing care plans for patients with complex psychosocial needs. They’re also valuable for questions about trauma-informed approaches, behavioural activation strategies, and coordinating non-pharmacological supports in primary care.

And in Neurology, PCPs may use eConsults to clarify whether new-onset headaches require imaging, determine when to refer a patient with tremor, or understand next steps for transient ischemic attack (TIA) follow-up.

This type of expert insight extends across over 40 specialties offered on the Alethea platform, including Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Geriatrics, Urology, Transgender Health, Sleep Medicine, and many more.

How to Get the Most from Your eConsult

When submitting an eConsult:

• Focus your question (e.g., "Should I initiate X treatment?" or "Is further imaging required?")
• Include supporting documentation like labs, images, or medication lists
• Highlight any clinical uncertainty or competing considerations

Learn more about best practices for writing an effective eConsult by reading our recap post on an Alethea learning session presented by Dr. Natalie Ward here.

Curious About More Questions an eConsult Can Answer?

Visit our Specialties Page and select a specialty to see additional example questions tailored to that area of care. Each page includes 5 clinically relevant scenarios you can use to guide your next eConsult.

Start optimizing your referrals, triage, and care plans, one eConsult at a time.

Sign up today to start sending eConsults for free using Alethea