Project echo is a model of telementoring that connects primary care physicians with multidisciplinary teams of specialists. This method is designed to improve the care for patients suffering from complex health conditions, especially in communities with low access to healthcare.
The ECHO model was developed at the University of New Mexico in 2003, with a focus on treating the hepatitis C patients from populations that are underserved and prisons. Since it was developed, the ECHO model has been replicated in numerous areas of clinical practice, including asthma chronic pain and diabetes. The ECHO model is backed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the GE Foundation, and the Leona M. and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust.
In ECHO sessions, participants present de-identified case studies, and engage in discussion with content experts via videoconferencing. In this “all teach all learn” format, participants share their knowledge and experience with other experts to help them answer questions, provide feedback, and offer clinical recommendations.
The ECHO model allows remote monitoring of patient outcomes. Specialists from the University of New Mexico monitor the plans of each community provider’s treatment to ensure that their patients receive the highest quality of care. Specialists are able to make mid-course adjustments when patients are not adhering to the prescribed therapy. This can reduce the risk of failure in treatment and increases the chance of an outcome that is positive. Specialists can also make use of the ECHO system for tracking data and identifying care gaps. The information is then passed back to local physicians so that they can better assist their patients.
