What We Do
Programs
ECHO Colorado
Established in 2016, ECHO Colorado’s mission is to leverage the knowledge and experience of geographically-diverse communities for workforce development and improved health for all. ECHO is an education platform that provides health professionals the opportunity to be part of a community where experts and peers share knowledge and experience using technology, not proximity, to connect.
We use Zoom to disseminate curated medical knowledge to frontline providers and to promote best practices to reduce disparities in health equity. Regularly scheduled ECHO sessions create an “all teach, all learn” collaborative where specialists and frontline clinicians focus on a particular clinical or public health-related topic.
Our multi-functional staff provides complete ECHO program management including needs assessment, topic development, curriculum design, marketing, project and grant management, program evaluation and technical implementation utilizing Connect, our custom-designed learning management system.
See what’s ECHOing now
eConsults
eConsults, a program that launched in 2018 as part of the Association of American Medical College’s Project CORE, facilitates asynchronous communication between primary care providers and specialists at the Anschutz Medical Campus. eConsults are integrated into the electronic health record system, creating highly structured, data rich exchanges that allow the provider and specialist to quickly develop consensus on level of care. The program has facilitated over 20,000 consultations, empowering providers across Colorado with access to specialist expertise, enabling localized care and reducing the need for referrals.
The eConsults program expanded its reach in 2021 to include federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) through an external eConsult platform, fostering partnerships with Salud Family Health Centers, Peak Vista Community Health Centers, Valley-Wide Health Systems and High Plains Community Health Center. This collaboration between an academic medical center and state partners is crucial to ensuring ongoing alignment with the state's priority focus areas for telehealth expansion and efforts to enhance access to care. By leveraging telemedicine technologies, FQHCs can bridge gaps in specialty care, ensuring equitable health care delivery for all.
eConsults by the Numbers
eConsults serve as a valuable telehealth tool that reduces the need for in-person specialty visits and promotes a primary care-driven, patient-centered medical home.
- Serving 53 community-based primary care practices in 48 counties across Colorado
- 978 primary care providers participating as of June 30, 2023
- Connecting providers with specialists in 28 adult and 23 pediatric clinical practice areas
- 94 specialists across 47 unique specialties covering a wide array of pediatric and adult medical conditions
- 23,000 eConsults as of June 30, 2023
Research
PMCC's groundbreaking research initiatives are revolutionizing health care accessibility in Colorado and shaping the telehealth landscape. Through collaboration with community organizations and state agencies, our research seeks to increase positive patient outcomes, reduce unnecessary referrals, promote efficient use of resources, and ultimately contribute to the advancement of patient-centered care.
eConsults and the Environment
Read about how eConsults help in reducing the environmental pollutants associated with health care delivery in Reduction of Environmental Pollutants and Travel Burden Through an Academic Medical Center-based Electronic Consultation Program.
Current Grants
AHRQ Long COVID Grant
PMCC is one of nine $5 million grant awardees announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). ECHO Colorado programs supported by the grant include live and asynchronous opportunities for primary care providers. The funds will also enable PMCC to develop its eConsult support for a broadening range of primary care providers struggling with the presentation and management of Long COVID in patients.
Community Project Funding Request
PMCC will expand crucial telehealth services to rural Colorado with the help of new federal funding. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) joined program and campus leaders in June 2024 to announce the $403,000 Community Project Funding Request, which he secured earlier this year in the fiscal year 2024 government funding bill, and praised CU School of Medicine faculty members for their work reaching underserved communities through the PMCC’s eConsult program. Funding for the eConsult program was also supported by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). Read more here.
Long COVID and Fatiguing Illness Recovery Program
ECHO Colorado, part of University of Colorado’s Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC), recently launched the ninth and final asynchronous course as part of the CDC-funded Long COVID and Fatiguing Illness Recovery Program. The series of nine courses was created due to the growing number of Long COVID cases being seen in primary care, and focused on enabling PCPs to assess and manage the condition in the outpatient setting. The final course, A Multidisciplinary Approach to Long COVID Care: Three Case Studies, walks through real-world case studies via video, offering relevant insights into the epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical management of brain fog, orthostatic intolerance and PEM/fatigue associated with Long COVID. The course is open now through March 7, 2025.
Adolescent Reproductive Health ECHO Program
This grant funds our Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) ECHO program, which provides comprehensive training and ongoing support for pediatric health care providers and other professionals who work with young people. The ARH ECHO program includes both synchronous and on-demand training, community of practice conferences that stimulate discussions around adolescent reproductive health topics, a resource website and monthly clinical pearls that highlight best practices, new research findings and valuable resources. The ARH ECHO community of learners now includes over 500 providers.