Growth and impact of Project ECHO for workforce development in age-friendly care

Authors

Catherine Phillips Carrico, Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
Christine McKibbin, Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
Leland Waters, Virginia Center on Aging, College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Katherine Thompson, Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jeffrey Graupner, Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Samantha Cotton, Trager Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Anna Faul, Trager Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Phillip G Clark, Program in Gerontology and Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
Jacqueline Telonidis, College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Faith Helm, Program in Gerontology and Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
Thomas Caprio, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics & Aging, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
Katherine A Bennett, Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-15-2024

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Use of the Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model in geriatrics has increased dramatically largely because of the Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEP) utilizing it as a key tool for age-friendly, interprofessional workforce development. This manuscript describes the scope and impact of geriatrics ECHOs under the GWEP.

METHODS: A survey of GWEPs was conducted to measure the reach, foci, evaluation methods, and other characteristics of ECHO networks.

RESULTS: All 48 (100%) GWEPs responded to the survey, and 30 (63%) reported using ECHO. GWEP ECHOs have both rural and urban-underserved reach across the United States, and their hub teams include many health professions. Age-friendly care is incorporated through multiple methods and is taught across foci including primary care, dementia, long term care, and novel topics. GWEP ECHOs have many academic and community partners including Area Agencies on Aging, and reach varied health professions, trainees, and caregivers. Geriatrics ECHOs collect outcomes across the evidence continuum including the community-level outcome of Age-Friendly Health System designation.

CONCLUSIONS: The ECHO model has been widely adopted by GWEPs as a key approach for workforce training in age-friendly care. Project ECHO is a valuable tool to expand interprofessional training for the geriatrics workforce, particularly for interprofessional teams in rural and underserved areas.

Recommended Citation

Carrico CP, McKibbin C, Waters L, Thompson K, Graupner J, Cotton S, Faul A, Clark PG, Telonidis J, Helm F, Caprio T, Bennett KA. Growth and impact of Project ECHO for workforce development in age-friendly care. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 May 15. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18959. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38749954.