Hawai‘i Rural Health ECHO is a replicating partner of Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) - a successful, innovative medical education and mentoring program that builds PCP skills and improves access to and capacity for specialty care.  Project ECHO® originated at the University of New Mexico and is a movement to demonopolize knowledge and amplify the capacity to provide best practice care for underserved people all over the world. It uses existing technologies to nurture sustainable learning collaboratives, connecting an interdisciplinary team of experts with primary care providers in rural and underserved communities. 

Specialists help mentor participants in a “guided practice”  model, with primary providers continuing their management and responsibility for patient care. Over time, clinicians develop comprehensive skills to treat specific, complex health conditions within their own practice.

MISSION

Hawai‘i Rural Health ECHO aims to be a resource that delivers high-quality CME experiences that meet’ needs, build capacity for improved patient care, and promote best practices.

METHOD

Hawai‘i Rural Health ECHO links specialist teams at a ‘hub’ with care providers in local communities. Primary care providers – the ‘spokes’ in our model – become part of a learning community, where they receive mentoring and feedback from specialists. Together they manage cases so patients get the care they need in their communities. 

MECHANISM

Web video conferencing creates knowledge networks combining a multi-disciplinary team of experts and learners for real life, case-based learning and carefully developed didactics. Data is tracked with a HIPAA compliant tool to measure clinic function over time for the purpose of ongoing quality management.