Paid Sponsorship by the Northeast Ohio Medical University
The Integrated Care at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) Project ECHO program (IC@N) is enhancing the integration of primary and mental health care by partnering with family physicians and health care providers practicing in communities throughout Ohio to improve the health and quality of life of individuals and families.
IC@N is an interprofessional virtual learning community that supports the workforce and enhances and expands its capacity to deliver integrated primary and mental health care. IC@N is based on the Project ECHO model for distance learning and consultation developed at the University of New Mexico that has been replicated in communities around the globe to increase the capacity of local clinicians to address multiple specialized health conditions in their home communities.
Project ECHO has demonstrated reductions in feelings of professional isolation, and offers physicians and other health care providers an increased sense of professional community and enhanced capacity to develop specialized knowledge to manage complex conditions. Project ECHO creates virtual learning communities by combining the best elements of grand rounds, learning community, and telemedicine consultation – and brings multidisciplinary experts from multiple locations together simultaneously for brief lectures, case consultation, and case-based learning.
Integrated primary and mental health care is shown to reduce burnout and enhance professional satisfaction, while reducing health care spending, improving quality of care, and improving patient outcomes. The IC@N ECHO network creates an opportunity for physicians and other health care providers to learn collaboratively and to share clinical experience and wisdom. “We teach each other. We learn from each other. We solve clinical problems and change lives together,” says Nichole E. Ammon, MSEd, LPCC-S, manager of integrated healthcare initiatives and community-based and interprofessional education and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center at NEOMED.
- Enhanced capacity (confidence and ability) to manage complex, community-based mental health, substance use, and co-morbid conditions
- Real time and written recommendations for cases presented
- No-cost continuing medical education credit (American Medical Association Physician Recognition Award Category 1) for physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners
- No-cost Continuing Education (1.0 CE) and Continuing Professional Education (1.0 CPE) credits for the healthcare team (Ohio licensed registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, psychologists, counselors, and social workers.
IC@N sessions take place every Friday from Noon to 1 p.m. eastern time. Sessions are online using the Zoom videoconferencing platform for an interactive community experience. IC@N ECHO would welcome your participation! To join, send an email to IntegratedCareECHO@neomed.edu.
The IC@N Project ECHO is a public service offered by the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center at NEOMED. To learn more, visit www.neomed.edu/bestcenter.