FAQs

The Platform

  • Users can join Consult Bridge as either Field Workers or Volunteer Clinical Consultants.

    • Consultants must hold an active medical license (unless retired) and be board-certified in the specialty they represent.

    • Field Workers are invited to participate if they align with our statement of faith and serve patients in low-resource settings without access to subspecialty care.

    All users agree to terms stating that medical responsibility rests solely with the Field Worker, not Consult Bridge or its volunteers. Consultants’ names should not appear in clinical documentation.

    Field Workers can submit consult requests directly through the platform. Requests are automatically shared with all consultants in the relevant specialty, and the first to accept is connected with the requester. Communication occurs securely within the platform, eliminating the need to exchange personal contact information.

  • No. Consult Bridge never shares personal contact information such as email addresses or phone numbers.

    When a match is made between a Field Worker and a Volunteer Consultant, each can view the other’s platform profile, which includes location, time zone, professional experience, and local context—just enough to support effective collaboration. All communication remains securely within the platform.

  • There is no cost to use Consult Bridge. We are a nonprofit organization seeking to bring together clinicians who want to support the work of frontline medical workers. We understand that many field workers serve in under-resourced areas and do not want cost to be a prohibitive factor in getting them the support they need.

  • Yes. Our data is stored on a designated server and not shared with any third parties.

  • Consult Bridge is designed as an educational platform, not for direct patient care. Users are required to exclude all patient identifiers when submitting or discussing cases.

    While no identifiable health information (PHI) should ever be shared, all data transmitted through the platform is handled securely and in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection regulations governing the storage and handling of sensitive information.

Field Workers

  • To qualify as a Field Worker, you must be a clinician serving in a low-resource area where patients lack access to subspecialty care. You’ll need to sign a waiver acknowledging that all medical responsibility remains with you, not Consult Bridge or its consultants.

    Field Workers must also affirm and adhere to the Lausanne Covenant.

  • Consult Bridge connects Field Workers with board-certified or recently retired medical specialists across a wide range of subspecialties. All volunteer consultants undergo background and credential verification to ensure they hold an active, clean medical license and have no known criminal history.

    For consultants licensed outside the U.S., available background information may be more limited. Each volunteer is carefully selected for their commitment to supporting clinicians serving in low-resource, underserved areas worldwide.

  • Our goal is for every consult request to receive a response within 3 business days. However, the actual response time will vary depending on the number of consultants in that specialty and their availability.

Consultants

  • All consultants must hold an active, unrestricted medical license and be board-certified in their specialty. Each volunteer undergoes credential and background verification to confirm a clean license and absence of criminal history.

    Retired or internationally licensed consultants are reviewed case by case, as background information may be more limited.

  • We are looking for medical professionals who understand and are able to adapt their skillsets to the logistical and financial limitations often found in low-resourced settings. Experience practicing medicine overseas is helpful but not required.

  • We very much appreciate any and all the help our consultants can offer. While we understand that availability may vary, we ask that our consultants strive to serve for at least a 12-month term, and to field at least 2 consult requests per month (unless fewer requests come in).

  • The Consult Bridge platform is intended to be a educational exchange. Field workers are required to sign a waiver stating they exclude Consult Bridge and consultants of any liability related to the medical care of their patient.

    All responsibility and liability rests solely on the clinician who is providing in-person care for the patient.

    Field workers are instructed to not include the name of the Consultant or Consult Bridge in any clinical documentation.

Donors

  • Consult Bridge Inc is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and all donations are tax-deductible (Tax ID #92-0729457).

    We will provide you with a donation verification letter annually for tax purposes. Thank you for your support!

  • our donations directly support the development and maintenance of the Consult Bridge platform — including software engineering, design, secure data hosting, and essential third-party tools.

    The majority of our team members volunteer their time, allowing us to keep administrative costs under 10%. Your support helps us offer Consult Bridge free of charge to clinicians serving where care is needed most.