Participant Characteristics and Attendance Patterns for a Multispecialty Veterans Affairs ECHO Program 2012-2018

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Access and Delivery
• Telehealth and Digital Health
• Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems

Background:

• The Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 Veterans Affairs-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (VA-ECHO) program was developed to enhance healthcare access for underserved and isolated populations.
• Existing literature lacks descriptions of participation patterns in multispecialty ECHO programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and participation patterns of the VISN 20 VA-ECHO multispecialty program.
• To inform the design and evaluation of future Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) programs.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of participant data from April 2012 to December 2018 for the VISN 20 VA-ECHO program.
• Inclusion of VA-affiliated licensed healthcare professionals and trainees who attended at least one session.
• Collection of participant characteristics including gender, location, specialty, discipline, and rurality.

Main Results:

• Over 6 years, 945 sessions across 14 specialties were offered, with 17,893 hours of attendance.
• The cohort comprised 1,346 participants, predominantly female (74.3%) and based in medical centers (85.2%).
• While intended for primary care providers (PCPs), the program engaged a diverse audience across specialties, with 40% attending five or more sessions.

Conclusions:

• The VISN 20 VA-ECHO program successfully adapted to include multiple clinical specialties, engaging a broad range of healthcare professionals beyond PCPs.
• Strategies promoting diverse audience inclusion were key to expanding the program's reach across large geographic areas.
• The program's experience offers valuable insights for designing and evaluating similar telehealth initiatives.