Turning Strategy into Action – Using the ECHO Model to Empower the Australian Workforce to Integrate Care

Authors

Perrin Moss, Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Creative Industries, ECHO Program Manager, Children’s Health Queensland, and Doctor of Philosophy candidate, The University of Queensland, PO Box 3474 South Brisbane 4101, Queensland, Australia
Phil Nixon, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Master of Development Practice, Graduate Certificate in Clinical Education, ECHO Network Coordinator, Children’s Health Queensland, PO Box 3474 South Brisbane 4101, Queensland, Australia
Sarah Baggio, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Physiotherapy), Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology (minor Gerontology), ECHO Network Coordinator, Children’s Health Queensland, PO Box 3474 South Brisbane 4101, Queensland, Australia
Dana Newcomb, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Diploma of Child Health, Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Medical Director Integrated Care, Children’s Health Queensland, and Senior Lecturer, Primary Care Clinical Unit, The University of Queensland, PO Box 3474 South Brisbane 4101, Queensland, Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-17-2023

Abstract

Introduction: Children’s Health Queensland (CHQ) established a telementoring hub in Queensland, using the Project ECHO® model, to pilot and scale a range of virtual communities of practice (CoP) to empower the Australian workforce to integrate care.

Description: The establishment of the first Project ECHO hub in Queensland facilitated the implementation of a variety of child and youth health CoP that strategically aligned to the organisation’s approach to integrate care through workforce development. Subsequently, other organisations nationally have also been trained to implement and replicate the ECHO model to effect more integrated care through CoPs in other priority areas.

Discussion: Findings from a database audit and desktop analysis of project documentation highlighted that using the ECHO model was effective in establishing co-designed and interprofessional CoP to support a cross-sector workforce to deliver more integrated care.

Conclusion: CHQ’s use of Project ECHO highlights an intentional approach to establishing virtual CoP to build workforce capability to integrate care. The approach explored in this paper highlights the value of workforce collaboration amongst nontraditional partners to foster more integrated care.

Recommended Citation

Moss P, Nixon P, Baggio S, Newcomb D. Turning Strategy into Action – Using the ECHO Model to Empower the Australian Workforce to Integrate Care. International Journal of Integrated Care, 2023; 23(2): 16, 1–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.7036