Frequently Asked Questions
- What is ECHO?
- How is YTR ECHO-Healthcare Track different from traditional telemedicine?
- Why should I or my organization consider participating in the Youth Trauma and Resilience ECHO? What are the benefits?
- Is there a fee to join?
- When do ECHO sessions occur?
- How do I register?
- Is the ECHO approved for Continuing Medical Education?
- Is the ECHO approved for Continuing Education Units?
1. What is ECHO?
Project ECHO, developed by Dr. Sanjeev Aurora at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2003, provides a framework for sharing expertise across the state and as a result will help patients get access to care without leaving the providers they trust and the communities where they live and work.
ECHO uses technology to leverage medical expertise, reduces disparities in care by sharing knowledge, and provides case-based learning to enhance mastery of new information. Evaluation of the programs through UNM, and around the world, showed increased patient and provider satisfaction, retention of patients in their medical home, equal or better patient outcomes when treated in their community by their provider, enhanced retention of providers in underserved areas, reduced costs of treating late-stage disease and improved public health prevention efforts.
Each one hour ECHO session consists of a brief lecture on a topic related to youth trauma and resilience followed by the review and discussion of a case.
2. How is YTR ECHO-Healthcare Track different from traditional telemedicine?
The ECHO model is not 'traditional telemedicine' where the specialist assumes care of the patient, but instead is a guided practice model where the participating providers retain responsibility for managing their patients. In other words, specialists at the YTR ECHO hub provide telementorship to participating providers who are learning how to apply best practice strategies in their own practices.
3. Why should I or my organization consider participating in the ECHO? What are the benefits?
Project ECHO is a unique tool that enables professionals to improve their expertise in serving youth who have experienced trauma and their families. Youth and families will receive care and support in their local communities with professionals they trust – you. As a participant, you will have weekly access to a panel of experts in trauma and resilience as well as a community of colleagues from around the state who are committed to supporting youth and families. Specifically, our team has extensive knowledge, expertise, and understanding of the cultural and demographic components of youth trauma and resilience. We will provide mentorship for our attendees from assessment and diagnosis to treatment and long-term management (i.e., counseling, case management, etc.).
- Professional Development and Retention - Through Project ECHO, professionals acquire new skills and competencies, expanding support for youth and families. They become part of a community of learners, increasing professional satisfaction and decreasing feelings of professional isolation. For an organization, this means that professionals are more productive and stay in their positions longer.
- Continued Learning – Organizations and their professionals also enjoy no-cost access to continued learning and specialist consultations during the ECHO Sessions. This enables organizations and professionals to be part of a knowledge network.
- Increased Efficiency – ECHO has allowed health centers to see more patients and to better utilize their staff to serve more patients overall. The model allows health centers to be part of a professional network and referral network, making it easier to get patients in to be seen, a process which previously could take weeks. This standardization of ‘best practices’ also strengthens the health system as a whole.
4. Is there a fee to join?
Joining an ECHO session is free. ECHO clinics will meet online using freely available, web-based Zoom videoconferencing. To participate, you only need to have access to the internet. Participation with a webcam is highly encouraged but not absolutely required.
5. When do ECHO Sessions occur?
The dates and times for all tracks can be found HERE.
6. How do I register?
If you are interested in registering for the ECHO, please click here. Once registered, a packet of information will be sent to you. We hope you’ll join us!
7. Are the ECHO tracks approved for Continuing Medical Education?
For the Healthcare track - Each session is approved by IU School of Medicine for 1 hour of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
The IU School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support, educational programs sponsored by the IU School of Medicine must demonstrate balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor.
For questions about CME, please contact:
Division of Continuing Medical Education
(317)274-0104
cme@iu.edu
http://cme.medicine.iu.edu
8. Is the ECHO approved for Continuing Education Units?
For the Healthcare track - this activity qualifies for 1 Category I Continuing Education Unit for Social Workers, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Marriage and Family Therapy Associates, Mental Health Counselors and Mental Health Counselor Associates as outlined by the Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board pursuant to Indiana Code 25-1-4-0.2.
CEU will be provided to all members at no cost. For each session attended, providers will receive 1 credit.
Credit can be claimed 60 minutes prior and 120 minutes after each session.
Visit http://go.iu.edu/MyCME to complete one time set up prior to the first session.