Mount Isa GP, Dr Loselani Pouesi, has been able to fill this gap with the help of an 'eConsultant' program that allows GPs throughout regional and remote Queensland to request expert guidance on patient care.

The service, launched by Mater Health, has been accessed by general practices across the state in locations such as Mount Isa, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Roma, Jimboomba, St George, Stradbroke Island and Surat.

Dr Pouesi said the program had been "hugely beneficial" considering the lack of specialists in the region for his orthopaedic and gastroenterology patients.

"Once my patients get referred to out-patients they can face a long waiting list, sometimes up to 365 days' wait," he said.

"This can be devastating for the patient."

The service, called the Queensland eConsultant Partnership Program, provides specialist advice regarding medicines and the treatment of chronic conditions to GPs within three days.

Mater Research Principal Research Fellow Dr Caroline Nicholson said giving rural and remote GPs the opportunity to "tap into" specialists' expertise in a timely manner could be life-saving for communities.

"Patients in remote areas can often wait so long to access the right care that their health deteriorates, and the likelihood of an avoidable hospital admission is increased," she said.

"Mater's eConsultant program is of huge benefit to patients as their concerns are addressed in under three days, instead of facing a long and stressful wait of up to a year in some cases."

Patients in remote and rural areas frequently face barriers in accessing specialist care due to the shortage of consultants outside metropolitan areas, leaving many forced to wait and travel long distances for treatment.

The program earnt Dr Nicholson the Mater 2022 Innovator of the Year Award with GPs welcoming the service's impact on patient care.

Dr Pouesi said the program meant his practice could receive expert medical advice within a matter of days.

"Hopefully, this program will continue to support us in the rural areas," he said.

"We really need that."

Head of General Medicine at Mater Hospital Brisbane, Dr Narelle Fagermo, has been supporting GPs through the eConsultant program since it started. She said the service was particularly important in a day and age where populations are constantly changing.

"We need to have different ways of being able to access specialists' help," she said.

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