Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) is a telemedicine and distance-learning program designed to improve access to quality health care for New Mexicans with hepatitis C. Project ECHO links health-care providers from rural clinics, the Indian Health Service, and prisons with specialists at the University of New Mexico. At weekly clinics, partners present and discuss patients with hepatitis C with specialists. Partners can receive continuing education credits for participating. Since June 2003, 173 hepatitis C clinics have been conducted with 1,843 case presentations. Partners have received 390 hours of training and 2,997 hours of continuing education credits. And in 2006, the State Legislature approved $1.5 million in annual funding for the project. Project ECHO has increased access to state-of-the art hepatitis C virus care for patients living in rural areas or prisons. Because of its success with hepatitis C, this project is being expanded to other chronic medical conditions.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Armstrong

Wasley

Simard

McQuillan

Kuhnert

Alter

. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the United States, 1999 through 2002. Ann Intern Med 2006; 144:705–14.

Edlin

. Five million Americans infected with the hepatitis C virus: a corrected estimate. 56th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases; 2005 Nov 11-15; Boston, Massachusetts. Hepatology 2005; 42(4 Suppl 1):213A.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US). Recommendations for prevention and control of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and HCV-related chronic disease. MMWR Recomm Rep 1998;47(RR-19):1–39. Also available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr4719.pdf [cited 2006 Jan 2].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US). Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR Recomm Rep 2006;55(RR11):1–94. Also available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2006/rr5511.pdf [cited 2006 Jan 2].

Subiadur

Harris

Rietmeijer

. Integrating viral hepatitis prevention services into an urban STD clinic: Denver, Colorado. Public Health Rep 2007; 122(Suppl 2):12–7.

Heseltine

McFarlane

. Texas statewide hepatitis C counseling and testing, 2000-2005. Public Health Rep 2007; 122(Suppl 2):6–11.

Zimmerman

Finley

Rabins

McMahon

. Integrating viral hepatitis prevention into STD clinics in Illinois (excluding Chicago), 1999-2005. Public Health Rep 2007; 122(Suppl 2):18–23.

Baldy

Urbas

Harris

Jones

Reichert

. Establishing a viral hepatitis prevention and control program: Florida's experience. Public Health Rep 2007; 122(Suppl 2):24–30.

Arora

Geppert

CMA

Kalishman

Dion

Pullara

Bjeletich

. Academic health center management of chronic diseases through knowledge networks: Project ECHO. Acad Med 2007; 82:154–60.

10.

New Mexico Health Policy Commission. Physician Survey, 2003 [cited 2006 Oct 20]. Available from: URL: http://hpc.state.nm.us/physiciansurvey

11.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). Ryan White CARE Act. Health Resources and Services Administration [cited 2006 Oct 20]. Available from: URL: http://hab.hrsa.gov/history.htm

12.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). Education and Training: AIDS Education and Training Centers. Health Resources and Services Administration [cited 2006 Oct 20]. Available from: URL: http://hab.hrsa.gov/educating.htm

Project ECHO: Linking University Specialists with Rural and Prison-Based Clinicians to Improve Care for People with Chronic Hepatitis C in New Mexico

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References