Join our network of specialists and help transform access to specialty care.
We make it easy:
- No Risk
- No Commitment
- No Obligation
- No Claims
- No Billing
Why Summus?
Summus is the virtual specialty care company that is transforming access to healthcare across the globe. Our platform and clinical support model were built with and for physicians first, enabling fast, easy access to the best specialist expertise. We work with employers across industries, health plans, and leading medical groups.
Why become a Summus specialist?
The Summus network of physicians is comprised of leading experts across every specialty and condition. Our 5,100-strong network has attracted specialists in current practice, many of whom are also teaching at the country’s top medical schools. The physicians who join our network are passionately committed to improving healthcare and are the first ones to lend their expertise to fellow physicians facing questions about the right next step in care for their patients.
- Simple sign-up process and consultant agreements
- Flexible scheduling — accept consultations when it’s convenient for you
- Reimbursement according to case complexity
Two ways to bring your expertise to Summus
As a Summus Peer-to-Peer physician, you will:
- Deliver clinical guidance to primary care providers through an elegant, easy to use interface
- Provide asynchronous text-based econsults, telephonic-based curbside consults, or both
- Accept consultations that work within your schedule
- Be covered with necessary medical malpractice insurance by Summus
As a Summus Expert physician, you will:
- Consult directly with Summus members to provide personalized education and guidance
- Be personally matched with members based on health conditions and case complexity
- Experience streamlined consultations via physician-led patient preparation, medical record curation, and summarization
- Provide clinical guidance without the administrative burden of documentation, prescribing, or medical malpractice requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Summus Peer-to-Peer consultations
Summus specialist consultants participating in peer-to-peer consultations provide expert medical advice and opinions to primary care physicians and other clinicians that support them in directing patient care, reducing long wait times to see a specialist, and costly referrals. Specialist consultants do not establish a patient-physician relationship.
Specialist consultants participating in peer-to-peer consultations are practicing medicine, but do not establish patient-physician relationships. Summus provides malpractice insurance to all specialists, plus all patients and consulting specialists are informed and acknowledge that the initiating provider (e.g., PCP) is the one who is responsible for directing a patient’s care.
Summus peer-to-peer consultations are designed to assist PCPs and other clinicians in making decisions about patient care. The PCP remains responsible for ordering any diagnostic tests deemed necessary. If a member comes under the care of a specialist consultant after a peer-to-peer consultation, Summus considers it a positive outcome from our curated match process. At that point, Summus steps away and the typical process of coming under a physician’s care is employed.
Summus accounts for specialty and subspecialty expertise related to the initiating physician’s question. It is possible for several specialist consultants to receive an alert, especially when the turnaround time is important to the initiating provider. The consulting specialist to accept the case first will have 4 hours to respond.
Summus peer-to-peer consultations follow an escalation model that is based on patient case complexity. For example, asynchronous, text-based consultations are used for streamlined questions that involve a concise response. Curbside consultations are for more involved cases requiring a live, contextual discussion.
- The Summus team will match the initiating provider to specialist consultant based on the clinical question.
- The specialists will receive a brief summary of the case and question.
- The consulting specialists can accept or decline the consultation.
- If accepted, the first consulting specialist to accept the case will provide an answer to the clinical question via free text box within 4 hours of accepting the consultation. If the consulting specialist believes more information is required or the question warrants further discussion with the initiating provider, they can send a return question or request the case change to a curbside consultation.
- Curbside consultations are sent to the consulting specialists by text message.
- The consulting specialists can accept or decline the consultation.
- If accepted, the consultation is scheduled.
- At the scheduled time, the consulting specialist and initiating provider connect via Summus’ secure platform within 24 hours of accepting the consultation.
- After the consultation, the specialist consultant will summarize and include a written response to the question asked.
Summus Expert consultations
Summus expert consultations provide education, guidance, and resources (e.g., informational materials) to help members understand their health concerns and possible treatment options, by phone or video, expediting the time from diagnosis to treatment and avoiding unnecessary healthcare visits. Physicians do not provide medical care, treatment, or make medical decisions, and therefore do not establish a patient-doctor relationship or engage in the practice of medicine.
Physicians in the Summus provider network must conduct consultations according to Summus’ business practices and protocols and are covered by an Errors & Omissions policy for the clinical guidance they provide. Additionally, Summus members are informed and acknowledge disclaimers for participating in consultations with Summus’ provider network.
Should a member choose to begin seeing a consulting physician outside of consultations using the Summus platform, we consider it a positive outcome from our curated match process. At that time, Summus steps away and the typical process of coming under a physician’s care is employed.
Summus accounts for each member’s unique health concern and considers a variety of factors, such as member preferences and physician experience with treating similar cases. Location of the physician can also impact a match if a member seeks in person care near where they reside.
Summus consultations span across all specialities and within certain categories of primary care (e.g., pediatrics). Consultations can address everything from preventative or ongoing health management inquiries and diagnosis to considerations on surgery and support identifying the best treatment options.
- The Summus team will contact you with a blinded, short description of a member’s health concern or question.
- Upon accepting the case, the Summus team will check availability and schedule a meeting for the physician and member. Typically, we schedule consultations for 30 minutes and within 48 hours of a member’s inquiry. If desired, a Summus MD can help prepare a physician prior to a consultation.
- At the scheduled time, the consulting physician and member will connect via Summus’ secure digital platform.
- After the consultation, Summus will solicit feedback from the member and provider.
- Payment is made to the provider shortly after feedback is received.
Ready to learn more about Summus?