Project ECHO
Location: Norton College of Medicine, Dean's Office
766 Irving Avenue Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone: 315-464-1681
Email: donovake@casabo.net
Moving Knowledge Not Patients
Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a well established model pioneered from the University of New Mexico. Project ECHO has had a national and international reach for the past (almost) 20 years. As part of Upstate's strategic plan launching Project ECHO, a tele-education program, is now in its 5th year of addressing issues of access across Central New York.
The ECHO model breaks down the barriers between specialist and primary care. Our experts at SUNY Upstate will function as the “hub” to deliver education, knowledge and best practices to the primary care clinicians in the Central New York region and beyond. These primary care practices will function as the spokes in this global hub-and-spoke model. Using videoconferencing technology we will be connecting our team of interdisciplinary experts with primary care providers. By utilizing this teleconferencing technology we are able to enhance medical resources in rural and medically underserved areas in Upstate and Central New York.
SUNY Upstate's Project ECHO launched in January 2018. Our initial launch focused on a multi-specialty Pediatric ECHO and was followed with the launch of a Geriatrics ECHO in May. Our Endocrinology ECHO launched in September 2018 and a Toxicology ECHO was implemented in April 2019. To meet needs of our participants and as the world became more virtual we quickly implemented an ECHO focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our region. We will continue to hold COVID clinics that focus on SARS-CoV-2, vaccinations, mental health, implementation of telemedince, and other emergent topics as they become necessary. In 2021, we brought about 4 more speciality clinics, SANE (sexual assault nurse examiners), Emergency Medicine, Burn and OBGYN. We are hoping to continue to expand our ECHO network to include specialties and experts that are in high demand throughout the region and nation.
We encourage providers from the region to become involved in ECHO to learn how to better treat, diagnose, and monitor patients right in their own facilities. Providers are able to sign up for teleECHO clinics right though our website.
We are so proud of everything Project ECHO has completed so far and we are constantly moving forward with strong purpose. Project ECHO is a revolution in medical education and care delivery. If you have questions or for information on how to become a Project ECHO spoke partner, please contact Kelly Donovan at donovake@casabo.net or at 315-464-1681.