Project Echo – Telementoring for Complex Health Conditions

Project echo is a telementoring system that connects primary care physicians with inter-disciplinary teams of specialists. This approach is intended to improve the care of patients with complex medical conditions especially in rural areas and those who are underserved.

The ECHO model was created at the University of New Mexico in 2003 with a primary focus on treating hepatitis C patients from populations that are underserved and prisons. The ECHO model has since been replicated throughout the world in many clinical areas such as diabetes, asthma, chronic pain, and rheumatology. The ECHO model has been supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as well as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the GE Foundation and the Leona M. and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust.

During ECHO sessions participants present cases that have been identified and participate in discussions with experts in the field via videoconferencing technology. In this “all teach, all learn” format, providers share their knowledge and experience with other experts to help them answer questions, give feedback, and make clinical recommendations.

The ECHO model also permits 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. The doctors can make adjustments mid-course if the patient is not adhering to the prescribed therapy. This helps to prevent treatment failure and enhances the chance of having a positive outcome. Specialists can also make use of the ECHO system to monitor data and identifying areas of care that are not being met. This information is later fed back to the local clinicians and allows them to better provide their patients with the best http://www.projectechonevada.com/how-healthcare-providers-use-data-room-services possible care.