Building capacity for community pediatric epilepsy care with Project ECHO: Epilepsy Across the Lifespan
Abstract number :
818
Submission category :
13. Health Services (Delivery of Care, Access to Care, Health Care Models)
Year :
2020
Submission ID :
2423153
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2020 9:07:12 AM
Published date :
Nov 21, 2020, 02:24 AM
Authors :
Elizabeth Donner, The Hospital for Sick Children; Anne Keller - The Hospital for Sick Children; sharon whiting - Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; Andrea Andrade - Schulich School of Medicine, Western University; anastasia Vogt - Hospital for Sick C
Rationale:
Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is an innovative model for medical education that uses videoconferencing to connect specialist multidisciplinary teams at academic health centres to community healthcare providers (CHCPs). Using didactic and case-based learning, each ECHO session fosters knowledge among CHCPs that can be translated to the care of their patients. In this way, patients receive best practice care without long waits or travelling long distances. Launched in 2018, Project ECHO: Epilepsy Across the Lifespan delivers pediatric and adult epilepsy curricula to improve the quality and accessibility of epilepsy care in Ontario, Canada. An evaluation was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of this ECHO program.
Method:
From April 2018 to April 2020, Project ECHO: Epilepsy Across the Lifespan delivered pediatric or adult epilepsy curricula to 205 CHCPs via biweekly sessions delivered from 9 hub sites around Ontario. Pre and post ECHO surveys were performed to evaluate change in knowledge and skills associated with ECHO participation. To date, pre and post ECHO survey data is available for participants who have completed the Epilepsy in Children and Youth curriculum in Year 1. Results76% of participants in the pediatric curriculum ECHO were pediatricians. The remainder were a mix of other health care providers. 26 of 49 participants (53%) completed the Post ECHO survey. 88% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that ECHO improved the quality and safety of their patient care. Following the ECHO sessions, participants were statistically significantly more likely to agree they had sufficient knowledge and confidence to diagnosis, treat and counsel regarding epilepsy. Further, respondents were statistically more likely to acknowledge changes in their practice with regards to these areas. 73% of respondents stated they shared what they had learned with other colleagues.
Conclusion:
The ECHO model has demonstrated effectiveness in expanding knowledge, self-efficacy and practice change in the delivery of pediatric epilepsy care. ECHO shows promise as a tool to demonopolize epilepsy knowledge and enhance the care of children with epilepsy in their own communities.
Funding:
:Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Health Services