Project ECHO^® dermatology in the deep south: a comprehensive SWOT assessment

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Telehealth
• Dermatology

Background:

• Mississippi faces a severe shortage of dermatologists, with approximately 45,000 patients per provider in rural areas.
• Long wait times and travel distances create significant barriers to accessing dermatological care for rural populations.
• Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) was established at UMMC in 2020 to bridge this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of the University of Mississippi Medical Center's (UMMC) dermatology Project ECHO® program.
• To evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of this telehealth initiative.

Main Methods:

• A SWOT analysis was performed on the UMMC dermatology Project ECHO® program.
• Primary care providers (PCPs) presented patient cases via monthly video teleconferences.
• Participant engagement was tracked by virtual attendance numbers.

Main Results:

• The program's greatest strength is the perceived value by attendees, evidenced by increasing PCP participation.
• The primary threat identified is the low completion rate of post-teleconference surveys.
• This low survey completion rate impedes comprehensive program evaluation and identification of improvement areas.

Conclusions:

• The UMMC dermatology Project ECHO® demonstrates significant value and engagement among rural PCPs.
• Addressing low survey response rates is crucial for program refinement and demonstrating efficacy.
• Future plans include incentives for survey completion and inter-institutional collaboration to enhance data analysis and expand reach.