A technology-enabled collaborative learning model (Project ECHO) to upskill primary care providers in best practice...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Pain Management
• Primary Care

Background:

• The South Australian (SA) Chronic Pain Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Network was established to enhance primary care providers' skills in pain management.
• The program utilized didactic and case-based virtual mentoring sessions focused on a patient-centred, biopsychosocial approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess clinician participation, satisfaction, learning, competence, and performance within the SA ECHO Network.
• To identify self-perceived barriers to applying learned pain management strategies at clinical, service, and system levels.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods, participatory evaluation approach was employed.
• Data collected through program records, enrolment surveys, session satisfaction surveys (n=106), case presenter surveys (n=7), and an outcome survey (n=11).

Main Results:

• Participants reported high satisfaction with learning needs being met (99%), relevance (99%), understanding the biopsychosocial approach (97%), and mentorship (96%).
• Key learnings included patient validation and integrating psychological/social aspects of care.
• Over 40% of participants identified barriers like limited consultation time and multidisciplinary team formation challenges.

Conclusions:

• The ECHO Network model is an acceptable and effective interdisciplinary education strategy for improving primary care pain management.
• Barriers at the clinical, service, and system levels hinder the translation of acquired knowledge into practice.