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Abstract
The study in this paper examines the Project ECHO hub, ECHO-Chicago. ECHO (The Extension for Community Health Outcomes) is a workforce development model, started at the University of New Mexico, for expanding primary care capacity in underserved communities. The ECHO model has gained great popularity as an educational intervention on a global scale and therefore there is increased scrutiny on understanding the model and what its accomplishments are. ECHO-Chicago was launched in 2010 by the University of Chicago Medicine and is the longest- running urban ECHO program in the world. Through didactic presentations and case-based learning, ECHO-Chicago has been able to provide providers all across Chicago and the surrounding areas with free and low-cost trainings.
My analysis uses ECHO-Chicago as a case study of the ECHO model and evaluates the impact of their programming across three dimensions: providers, patients, and the healthcare system. Through interviews, observational sessions, and quantitative data, I was able to assess the impact of ECHO-Chicago’s programming. I conclude that ECHO-Chicago has been able to most clearly demonstrate their impact on providers, i.e., the participants in the trainings. There is evidence that ECHO-Chicago has a significant impact on patients and healthcare systems, but further analysis is needed to corroborate any conclusions. The implications of my analysis are of most consequence for new and growing ECHO hubs around the world. ECHO-Chicago’s successes offer valuable lessons for how other ECHO hubs should grow. I identify several initiatives for emerging ECHO hubs to implement and a feasibility analysis. Healthcare in the United States, and many other places, falls short in providing adequate care for some of the most vulnerable populations. Until ample healthcare reforms are implemented, it is crucial to take feasible steps to improve health care access.