Accelerating international MS care through videoconference-based education and case consultation

Rapid transfer of knowledge for multiple sclerosis clinical care during COVID-19: ECHO MS

“…This is now the third iteration of an MS-focused application of the model, with prior efforts focused on non-MS specialist providers (Johnson et al, 2017;Alschuler et al, 2019) and an international audience. (Alschuler et al, 2016) All have achieved similarly positive self-reported and qualitative results, suggesting further development of the model in the MS community may be worthwhile. However, as with the Project ECHO movement at large, there remains a significant need for research on the objective impact of participation on provider behavior and, ultimately, on patient outcomes.…”

“…(University of New Mexico, 2020) This includes one prior translation of the Project ECHO model for management of patients with MS, which resulted in participants self-reporting improvement in perceived knowledge, expertise, and provider behavior. (Johnson et al, 2017;Alschuler et al, 2019) A related demonstration project also showed the model could be used to aid an international audience in improving their knowledge of DMTs for MS that were newly approved in their country but had been utilized for a number of years in the U.S. (Alschuler et al, 2016) Project ECHO has been previously recommended as a model for facilitating the rapid sharing of knowledge during global health crises (e. g., Zika crisis (Heard-Garris et al, 2017)) and has preliminary evidence for utility with the MS healthcare community. Thus, the National MS Society sought to leverage the model to expedite knowledge sharing for the management of persons living with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic ("ECHO MS COVID-19 Response Clinic").…”

“…( University of New Mexico, 2020 ) This includes one prior translation of the Project ECHO model for management of patients with MS, which resulted in participants self-reporting improvement in perceived knowledge, expertise, and provider behavior. ( Johnson et al., 2017 ; Alschuler et al., 2019 ) A related demonstration project also showed the model could be used to aid an international audience in improving their knowledge of DMTs for MS that were newly approved in their country but had been utilized for a number of years in the U.S. ( Alschuler et al., 2016 )…”