In June, Providence Health Care ex­panded its Rapid Access to Consultative Expertise (RACE) program to provide family practice physicians, community specialists, and house staff in the Vancouver Coastal Health region with access to telephone advice from PHC cardiologists, endocrinologists, respirologists, and nephrologists Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The RACE program, which began in February 2009 as a hotline between Vancouver Coastal primary care phy­sicians and Providence Health Care cardiologists, now includes a broader range of specialists who provide timely guidance and advice regarding as­sessment, management, and treatment of patients. 

Physicians can phone 604 696-2131 or toll free 1 877 696-2131 and provide information regarding a pa­tient’s condition and its apparent causes, background information related to the patient’s condition, and a request for recommendations on how to proceed. Specialists then return calls within 2 hours and provide practical advice to callers on treatment plans for their patients. 

Calls average from 5 to 15 minutes in length.

The program enhances primary care physicians’ ability to manage patients in their offices and provides learning opportunities, including a .25 CME credit for every call. 

Participating specialists receive MSP remuneration for their participation. 

For more information on RACE, call 604 682-2344, extension 66522.