Facilitating Real-Time, Multidirectional Learning for Clinicians in a Low-Evidence Pandemic Response

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need for reliable information on the novel pathogen.
• Clinicians required timely access to evolving knowledge and best practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Project ECHO COVID-19 Clinical Rounds on clinician learning and practice.
• To assess the effectiveness of tele-mentoring in disseminating COVID-19 information.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Continuing Medical Education (CME) surveys and impact surveys (March-November 2020).
• Employed quantitative (descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney testing) and qualitative (thematic analysis) methods.
• Collected data on clinician knowledge, intended use of information, and reported practice changes.

Main Results:

• Clinicians reported significantly higher knowledge levels after sessions.
• 75.8% intended to use session content, with many reporting specific clinical/operational changes.
• 94.6% felt the rounds improved patient care, and 89% would rejoin.

Conclusions:

• Project ECHO COVID-19 Clinical Rounds enhanced clinician learning and improved patient care.
• This tele-mentoring model is effective for rapid information dissemination in public health emergencies.
• Peer-to-peer tele-mentoring provides a valuable framework when clinical evidence is scarce.