A Quantitative Approach to Data Collection and Analysis of ECHO Programs Focused on Cancer Care.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Education
• Public Health

Background:

• The American Cancer Society (ACS) projects over 2 million new cancer diagnoses in 2024.
• Knowledge gaps exist between healthcare professionals in underserved areas and cancer specialists.
• The Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Model aims to bridge these gaps via virtual telementoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of ACS ECHO programs in cancer care.
• To assess participant engagement, knowledge, and confidence changes.
• To inform program sustainability and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative investigation of four ACS ECHO programs (2023-2024).
• Analysis of participant engagement metrics.
• Measurement of changes in participant knowledge and confidence using a 5-point scale.

Main Results:

• 431 unique participants engaged across four programs.
• 59% of participants intended to apply learned information within one month.
• Average increases in knowledge (+0.84) and confidence (+0.77) were observed.

Conclusions:

• ACS ECHO programs demonstrate positive impact on healthcare professionals' cancer care knowledge and confidence.
• Quantitative evaluation provides objective insights into program effectiveness.
• Findings support ECHO program sustainability and suggest integrating qualitative methods for deeper understanding.