In rural and urban parts of the United States, lack of access to specialty care can be a major barrier for patients, as physicians within the community may not have the resources and education to support their complex medical conditions. Technology can help bridge these gaps and reduce health disparities. Healthcentric Advisors is excited to launch Project ECHO®: Reducing Opioid use through Pain-Management Education (ROPE) with the use of the Project ECHO Model™ (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes).
As the opioid epidemic grips the nation, providers may need additional resources to adequately treat pain using opioids as judiciously as possible. Additionally, they may not have local experts to call on for guidance. However, Healthcentric Advisors’ ECHO®: ROPE will offer a chance to learn from their peers in a practical way by bringing a multidisciplinary group of providers from throughout New England together for this free, case-based tele-education series.
“I’ve seen firsthand how the ECHO model can boost provider confidence, especially for those working in rural areas,” says Ann Marie Day, Program Administrator from Healthcentric Advisors. “After working in a rural Federally Qualified Health Center and seeing how the model combats professional isolation, I’m excited that we’re able to bring this to providers we’re working with. The ECHO model allows providers to connect and engage with their peers, ultimately preventing burnout—another major issue in the care community.”
As a participating physician, Dr. Julio Defillo said, “Project ECHO® establishes relationships that are open between participants, decreasing gaps or validating current care. I love that we all learn in this dynamic environment where our goal is to do better.”
Project ECHO Model™ utilizes a “hub and spoke” structure to expand the role of specialty care. A hub team consists of providers that have specialist knowledge within the chosen condition and location. Spoke sites connect to a corresponding hub to strengthen their expertise. Sessions consist of brief didactic led by our specialist team and cases presented by the participating providers. Topics are focused on non-pharmacological approaches, screening, appropriate prescribing, opioid use disorder treatment, trauma informed care, stigma and language.
Through the use of technology, education, and research, Project ECHO® de-monopolizes knowledge and amplifies the capacity to provide the best practice care for underserved people all over the world. Experts mentor and share expertise across a virtual network via case-based learning, enabling primary care clinicians to treat patients with complex conditions in their own communities. People get the high-quality care they need, when they need it, close to home.
Project ECHO®: ROPE is an exciting opportunity for Healthcentric Advisors to put our convening and technical assistance skills to work for providers. Our specialist team offers a wide-range of experience working with the older adult population around pain management and opioid use. Ultimately, the project allows us to improve health and health care by specifically addressing hard to tackle disparities in rural and urban settings.
HealthcentricAdvisors.org/project-echo | [email protected]
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Healthcentric Advisors is a national health care quality improvement authority. With over 20 years of experience, we provide data analysis, education, and technical assistance across the health care spectrum in Rhode Island and throughout New England. Our teams offer deep knowledge of quality improvement programs including proven experience implementing patient safety initiatives.
