EXPANDING VIRTUAL EDUCATION

By Kyle Pfannenstiel ’20

Project ECHO Idaho, a virtual continuing education resource for Idaho’s health care workforce, recently marked its 500th session. Idaho ECHO has educated 3,542 health care workers since 2018.

The project, supported by the Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program, addresses urgent health care needs by connecting specialists with providers for online learning using presentations and individual medical cases as lessons. Professionals — especially those in Idaho’s rural or underserved areas — can enhance their skills by engaging in real-time collaborative sessions while earning free continuing education credits, which are required to maintain licensure.

ECHO Idaho expands access to medical and behavioral health education in the state, which is designated as a 100% Mental Health Shortage Area by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Behavioral Health in Primary Care is one of ECHO Idaho’s most popular series.

“All communities in the state are underserved when it comes to professional mental health support,” said Shannon McDowell, ECHO Idaho program manager and series facilitator. “ECHO’s role here is to help upskill primary care physicians in behavioral health illness so that when a patient sees a primary care provider, that doctor might be more aware of warning signs and treatment options.”

Returning participants develop a professional instate network they can trust.

“I can’t understate what ECHO means to me,” said Debra Mueller, a licensed clinical social worker in Boise. “These sessions provide me with a community of knowledge and clinical support.”