Using Microsoft Teams for Consultations: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Emergency Department and Consulting Clinicians

Communication failures in the emergency department (ED) can delay consultations and worsen crowding. Secure messaging platforms are increasingly used for ED consultant communication, but provider experience with these tools is poorly documented.

We surveyed ED and consulting clinicians at an academic hospital using a Microsoft Teams consultation workflow. The survey included perceived effects on workflow and patient care, delays in consultant response, and preferred communication patterns.

Of 121 respondents, 82 were ED and 39 were consulting clinicians. ED clinicians were more likely than non-ED clinicians to report high satisfaction with Teams consultations (78.0% vs 56.4%, p = 0.014), perceived workflow improvement (85.4% vs 61.5%, p = 0.003), and positive impact on patient care (89.0% vs 56.4%, p < 0.001). Delays in consultant responses remained common, with 24.4% of ED and 15.4% of non-ED respondents reporting “often” encountering delays (p = 0.26). ED clinicians were also more likely to favor Teams-based or hybrid Teams/telephone communication after an initial consult (93.9% vs 79.5%, p = 0.017).

The Microsoft Teams consultation workflow was well received and perceived as improving documentation, workflow, and patient care. Ongoing delays and notification overload highlight the need for clear response-time standards and escalation pathways.