About BHIPP ECHO™

BHIPP ECHO is a web-based learning collaborative that is built on the “hub and spokes” design know as the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model.

BHIPP ECHO sessions connect BHIPP consultants with community pediatric providers to provide didactic presentations and case-based learning through real-time online learning sessions. Participants join ECHO sessions from their own desktop or mobile devices using free videoconferencing software. The goal of BHIPP ECHO sessions is to improve providers’ knowledge of mental health screening, evaluation, and in-office interventions, with an emphasis on both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments.

BHIPP ECHO™ sessions are held monthly and include:

  • Case-based learning in which participating providers present de-identified cases (submitted in advance) for discussion with peers and a multi-disciplinary team of behavioral health experts.
  • A 15-20 minute didactic lecture on a specific behavioral health topic relevant to primary care.

CME and CEU credit is offered at no cost to participating providers.

BHIPP is currently offering 3 ECHO tracks:

ECHO Core FoundationsECHO Core Foundations

This series is for providers who want to improve their knowledge on child mental health and develop foundational skills.

Register for Core Foundations

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ECHO Beyond the BasicsECHO Beyond the Basics

This series is for providers who have already participated in BHIPP ECHO or are looking to explore advanced topics.

Register for Beyond the Basics

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ECHO PMHNPECHO for PMHNPs

This series is designed for Maryland Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners who want to deepen their knowledge of child and adolescent mental health.

Register for ECHO for PMHMPs

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Who can participate in ECHO Sessions?

Pediatric providers and care teams (e.g., general pediatricians, developmental behavioral pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, social workers, and practice managers) are welcome and highly encouraged to participate.

What is Project ECHO?

Project ECHO was launched in 2003 as a healthcare initiative before expanding into other domains. It grew out of one doctor’s vision. Sanjeev Arora, M.D., a liver disease specialist at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, was frustrated that he could serve only a fraction of the hepatitis C patients in the state. He wanted to serve as many patients with hepatitis C as possible, so he created a free, educational model and mentored community providers across New Mexico in how to treat the condition.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that hepatitis C care provided by Project ECHO trained community providers was as good as care provided by specialists at a university.

The ECHO model is not traditional “telemedicine” where the specialist assumes care of the patient, but is instead telementoring, a guided practice model where the participating clinician retains responsibility for managing the patient.

Using proven adult learning techniques and interactive video technology, the ECHO Model connects groups of community providers with specialists at centers of excellence in regular real-time collaborative sessions. The sessions, designed around case-based learning and mentorship, help local workers gain the expertise required to provide needed services. Providers gain skills and confidence; specialists learn new approaches for applying their knowledge across diverse cultural and geographical contexts. As the capacity of the local workforce increases, lives improve.

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