NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Healthcare delivery in underserved areas is a huge challenge the world over. The leveraging of scarce resources of a nation in remote areas is extremely difficult. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) started in rural community of New Mexico, one of the underdeveloped states of USA in 1994 is built to address this challenge.

The ‘hub and spoke’ model leverages multipoint video conferencing technology to mentor physicians and allied healthcare professionals on a regular basis from a team of experts at a center of excellence. Real cases are presented, their treatment discussed, and outcomes monitored during these sessions. The rural healthcare physicians treat patients with complex problems under the guidance of experts, with excellent outcomes. The patients thus receive latest medical care in their area of residence.

The model has proved extremely successful and is currently utilized by 93 institutions in over 15 countries. The ECHO philosophy is exemplified in the brief slogan, “Moving Knowledge, Not Patients.”

Speaking at the Orientation Programme, Col (Retd) Kumud Rai, Chairman ECHO, India, emphasized; ‘The Indian healthcare environment provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the adoption of the ECHO model. The need for specialty care in India, especially in rural settings, is substantial and growing. System-wide integration of Project ECHO offers a solution that can benefit the entire population.’