Presenters
Summary
Primary Care Providers (PCPs) provide over half of the mental health treatment in the United States, most commonly for depression and anxiety. PCPs’ confidence in recommending evidence-based treatment for these conditions can differ depending on their training. This project assessed changes in practice knowledge among Colorado PCPs and behavioral health providers (BHPs) in the Mood and Anxiety ECHO series. Preliminary findings suggest the ECHO model is effective in improving the capacity of PCPs to treat behavioral health issues. The accessibility and potential impact of such workforce development opportunities make it a practical means for increasing knowledge and skills, particularly for those who experience barriers to other forms of professional development, such as lack of time or long distances to in-person trainings and conferences.
Objectives
- Describe the ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) model.
- Discuss how the ECHO model improves self-efficacy in treating patients with common behavioral health conditions
- Consider potential future opportunities for applying the ECHO model to expand and improve the use of best practices for primary care providers managing common behavioral health conditions.
References
- Lars E. Peterson, Bo Fang, James C. Puffer, Andrew W. Bazemore (2018). Wide Gap between Preparation and Scope of Practice of Early Career Family Physicians. J Am Board Fam Med Mar 2018, 31 (2) 181-182; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2018.02.170359
- Petterson, S., Miller, B. F., Payne-Murphy, J. C., & Phillips, R. L., Jr. (2014). Mental health treatment in the primary care setting: Patterns and pathways. Families, Systems, & Health, 32(2), 157-166
- Hager B., Hasselberg M., Arzubi E., Betlinski J., Duncan M., Richman J., Raney LE (2018). Leveraging Behavioral Health Expertise: Practices and Potential of the Project ECHO Approach to Virtually Integrating Care in Underserved Areas. Psychiatr Serv. ;69(4):366-369
- Crowley RA, Kirschner N, for the Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians (2105). The Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions into Primary Care: Executive Summary of an American College of Physicians Position Paper. Ann Intern Med. ;163:298-299.
- Siu AL, and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (2016). Screening for Depression in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 315(4):380-387.
