Whether it’s finding funding for a communications system, reaching out to build a network of programs, or helping providers take advantage of new technology, Project ECHO Nevada faced challenges before Zoom was famous. One of the hurdles was how to connect health care providers in rural areas. Telementoring program.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital learning methods, setting the stage for breaking down the walls of virtual connection amidst social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders.
“We have always been a virtual telemedicine platform,” says Dr. Mordechai Ravi, Medical Director of Project ECHO Nevada. “We connect and create virtual communities of learning that reinforce best practices and share knowledge. These types of communities are especially helpful in rural communities.”
In Nevada, where more than two out of three people live in a primary care workforce shortage area (HPSA), rural education and support resources are lacking, according to the Nevada Physician Workforce: Chartbook. It is said to be extremely important.
Through remote mentoring, rural clinicians can stay up to date on the latest medical practices and treatments, which can directly lead to improved patient care and outcomes. This is especially important in rural areas where access to specialized medical training and resources may require traveling long distances or may not be available at all.
As ECHO expands the knowledge base of primary care physicians, patients benefit by reducing healthcare-related travel, long wait times, and costs. When doctors can help solve medical problems, they receive quality care within their own communities.
Closing the gap in rural outreach
In the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Project ECHO has continued to serve some of the Silver State’s most rural communities, demonstrating the value of its support. Participation of local medical and public health professionals in the program increased by more than 26% from 2019 to 2022. At the same time, participation from all state organizations increased by his 180%. And in 2023, the program saw a 98% increase in case reviews conducted across all his ECHO sessions from pre-COVID-19 operations.
One of the cornerstone programs of Project ECHO is the teleECHO™ program. In this program, medical professionals from around the state review patient cases with a multidisciplinary team of multidisciplinary experts and collaborate on treatment using multi-point video technology. The case review process increases the effectiveness of the session by providing case recommendations to review providers and new skills and training to other participants.
“Doctors in Ely have similar experiences as doctors in Yerington and may be able to share advice or recommend resources,” Dr. Ravi said.
Multidisciplinary teams and shared experiences make ECHO sessions a community of learning. Issues can be related to the operation of vast health system networks, such as prior authorizations, income barriers, and functional deficiencies, which impact whether patients receive the care they need.
“We are able to create the learning community known as Project ECHO,” Dr. Ravi said. “It helps us connect and allow us to learn from each other.”
As such, the ECHO model is a guided care model in which the primary care provider is responsible for patient management, rather than traditional telemedicine, where a specialist is responsible for patient care.
Troy Jorgensen, Project ECHO Nevada’s senior program manager, said, “These sessions provide an opportunity for rural healthcare providers, who also have workforce shortages and fewer resources such as social workers and therapists. Innovative solutions are now possible.”
By allowing experts to serve as mentors and train community health care providers in clinical areas that were previously outside their expertise, primary care providers gain independence as their skills and self-efficacy improve. You will be able to improve your performance and carry out your work.
Post-session evaluations since 2017 show that 91.9 percent of ECHO participants strongly agreed or agreed that their participation reduced their feelings of professional isolation.
“These sessions can help health care workers feel less alone in an environment that can be really lonely,” Dr. Ravi said. “You can see that other people in other communities are dealing with the same challenges.”
From patient care to national health
Housed within the Office of Statewide Initiatives, Project ECHO Nevada connects everyone involved in health care, from primary care providers and specialists to community health workers and government partners. Dr. Ravi said the program is particularly effective in rural areas.
The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) is actively addressing these healthcare challenges by retaining medical school graduates and recruiting residents to work in Nevada. One initiative aimed at filling the gap in healthcare is Project ECHO.
“ECHO provides physicians and other health care providers with direct access to experts and support, allowing patients to discuss their cases and feel connected to the larger community,” said Dr. Ravi. I did.
that’s the vision Dr. Sanjeev Arora founded this virtual program nearly 20 years ago. Now director of the ECHO project at the University of New Mexico, Dr. Arora sees patients from rural areas, some suffering from advanced stages of the disease that could have been treated sooner. Masu.
These experiences led to Dr. Arora’s development of Project ECHO. The virtual program follows his four basic principles:
- Amplify – Use technology to leverage scarce resources.
- Best practices – Reduce inequality.
- Case-based learning – mastering complexity
- Data – Monitor results to improve effectiveness.
“When physicians and other health care providers participate in ECHO, they receive feedback and enhancements to their practices,” Dr. Ravi said. “These conversations are often not available to physicians after residency for reasons such as time, workload, or proximity to other health care providers.”
As Project ECHO continues to grow and evolve, UNR Med remains committed to improving access to health care and improving quality of life for people living in rural Nevada. In 2024, the program plans to add more learning sessions on topics such as diabetes, pediatrics, and rheumatology, increasing its reach and impact.
“Ultimately, we’re really trying to improve health at the population level, and that means improving the health of our patients,” Dr. Ravi said. “That requires changing healthcare provider practices, and ECHO is a power multiplier we can use to make those changes.”
Learn more about Project Echo
