Project echo is a telementoring model that connects primary care doctors with multidisciplinary teams of specialists. This approach is intended to enhance the care provided to patients with complicated conditions especially in areas that are rural and unserved.
The ECHO model was developed at the University of New Mexico in 2003, with a focus on treating the hepatitis C patients in underserved populations and prisons. The ECHO model has since been replicated throughout the world in a variety of areas of clinical practice, including asthma, diabetes chronic pain, asthma, and Rheumatology. The ECHO model is supported 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.
During ECHO sessions Participants present de-identified cases and engage in group discussions with the experts in the field using videoconferencing technology. In this “all teach all learn” format, the experts share their knowledge and experiences with others to help answer questions, give feedback, and provide clinical recommendations.
The ECHO model allows remote monitoring of patient outcomes remotely. Specialists from the University of New Mexico monitor every community provider’s plans for treatment to ensure their patients receive the best care possible. The specialists may make adjustments at mid-course if patients are not adhering to the prescribed treatment. This helps to avoid treatment failure and increases the chance of an outcome that is positive. Specialists can also use the ECHO system for tracking data and identifying gaps in care. This information is then passed on to local clinicians to enable them to better serve their patients.