Project ECHO Sunflower Health Plan
Collaborative Learning Opportunity with FREE Continuing Education:
About Project ECHO
Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a self-paced lifelong learning and guided practice model that revolutionizes medical education and exponentially increases workforce capacity to provide best-practice specialty care and reduce health disparities.
Project ECHO creates a bridge to allow collaboration and knowledge sharing. The heart of the ECHO model™ is its hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing networks, led by expert teams who use multi-point videoconferencing, such as Zoom, to conduct virtual clinics with community providers. In this way, primary care doctors, nurses, and other clinicians learn to provide excellent specialty care to patients in their own communities.
The ECHO model is not traditional “telemedicine” where the specialist assumes care of the patient, but is instead tele-mentoring, a guided practice model where the participating clinician retains responsibility for managing the patient.
Project ECHO is not just a learning and mentoring network; it is also a professional community. Participants are encouraged to ask questions, provide input and guidance to one another, and engage actively in discussions, both during and after a session.
For more information please visit the ECHO Institute at the University of New Mexico's Health Science Center.
Four principles comprise the Project ECHO model. The combination of these principles results in a unique and successful approach for improving clinician satisfaction, enhancing clinician knowledge and self-efficacy, and improving patient satisfaction and outcomes:
- Amplification: Use technology to leverage the expertise of a multidisciplinary team.
- Best Practices: Share best practices to reduce disparities and standardize care.
- Case-Based Learning: Leverage case-based learning and guided practice to master complex cases.
- Database: Apply web-based tools to monitor outcomes.
What is a hub?
A regional center where a team of subject matter experts for an ECHO program is located, replicates the ECHO Model™ and runs their own ECHO program. Sunflower Health Plan is a Project ECHO hub.
What is a Case Study?
Project ECHO is a case-based learning option for care providers. A case is an overview of an individual’s medical history and overall health.
How much does it cost to participate?
Participation is free. You generally only need to have standard internet connections and a computer.
Is continuing education available?
Case by case basis depending on the program. This information will be listed for each ECHO series.
How is patient or member information protected?
All the patient/member information presented in a session are de-identified and reviewed before the session. A HIPAA announcement is given prior to the start of each session to remind both specialists and clinicians about the importance of preserving patient confidentiality.
Who should participate?
Individual clinicians of all levels are welcome and highly encouraged to participate in sessions, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, psychiatrists, social workers, community health workers and pharmacists. Team participation is encouraged, as team-based care is the ideal model for enabling higher-level care delivery and task shifting.
Sunflower Health Plan Project ECHO Team
Mohamed Radhi, MD; Nan Perrin, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA; Kristine Meier
- Nanette Perrin, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA, Senior Director of LifeShare & Social Determinants of Health
- Mohamed Radhi, MD, Medical Director, Medical Management, Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant
- Ulisa Diane Buckingham, MD, Medical Director, Medical Affairs, Child, Adolescent, & Adult Psychiatrist, Behavioral Health
- Deborah Rear, RN, BSN, MBA, Senior Manager, Case Management
- Kristine Meier, MSEd, BCBA, Transitions of Care Coordinator, Program Manager
- Kelley Hotaling, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist
- Aaron Dold, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist
Contact: projectECHO@sunflowerhealthplan.com
Accreditation
The University of Missouri - Columbia School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University of Missouri - Columbia School of Medicine, designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Midwest Multistate Division, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 1.0 contact hour will be awarded to all individuals who successfully complete this activity.
Successful Completion
Successful completion of this activity — includes participating in the educational offering, the evaluation process and completing the verification of attendance — enables the learner to satisfy the requirements for continuing education.
Sunflower Project ECHO: Youth Behavioral Health Services
We invite you to attend this series, which will focus on:
- Broadening understanding of the need for a coordinated, collaborative effort to increase accessibility.
- Broadening understanding of resources for lower income, poverty level, or rural populations.
- Understanding how to access support systems and services within the state.
Please plan to attend our Project ECHO sessions on Thursdays in September 2024, from 12:00-1:00 PM CT via Zoom video conferencing.
Topics include:
- September 5, 2024 – Specialty Clinics – Andrea Fulks, Levi Baker & Angela Guzman, Children’s Mercy Hospital
- September 12, 2024 – Mental Health Codes – Andrew Brown, Drew Adkins, & Pat Satterlee, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
- September 19, 2024 – Community Based Services – Jennifer Lighthall, Johnson County Mental Health Center
- September 26, 2024 – 988 Crisis Line - Kirk Vernon, 988 Coordinator, Headquarters Kansas
Dates to vary by speaker availability.
September 5, 2024 – CMH we got you! Services and Supports (PDF) - Andrea Fulks, BSW, and Levi Baker, LMSW, Children's Mercy Hospital
Case Study Recommendations
- Provide psychoeducation and coaching to caregivers around age-appropriate boundaries
- Potentially as part of family therapy
- Coaching on appropriate engagement strategies
- Connect with Behavior Management resources/supports
- Children’s Mercy CARE Workshops for Parents
- The child may qualify for an IEP due to the speech delay
- Connect with the local school district to assess- if eligible, then child can attend preschool through the school district through Part B services of the IDEA
- Encourage mom to access care for herself
- Look into Mom’s/Parent’s Day out or Parent Support Groups through their church
September 12, 2024 – Mental Health Codes (PDF) - Andrew Brow, Drew Adkins and Pat Satterlee, Kansas Deptartment of Aging and Disability Services
Case Study Recommendations
- Housing First! Meet member where he is, prioritize housing since that is what he has expressed. Refer to KS Statewide Homeless Coalition for entry into the Coordinated Entry System- assistance with housing resources
- KC Homeless - Resources
- Look in to transitional housing options with wraparound supports from the CCBHC
- Look in to Clubhouses or CROs (Consumer-Run Organizations) in his community - opportunities to connect with peers.
- Continue to attempt connecting with community-based services
- Peer supports may be better received at first
- With built trust, he may be more inclined to engage in trauma therapy
- If he has challenges with human connections - explore interest in animals and see if he would engage in activities working with animals
- Member may qualify for BI (Brain Injury) Waiver services - refer to the local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) for assessment
- He will need to be established with new PCP and specialists in his new community
- Sunflower Health Plan’s Pharmacy team can complete a medication reconciliation review to potentially simplify his medication regime
- He could benefit from a long-acting injectable as an option
- He could benefit from current psych testing to inform providers on brain injury versus mental health needs.
September 19, 2024 - Community Based Services (PDF) – Jennifer Lighthall, Johnson County Mental Health Center
Case Study Recommendations
- Use person-centered planning tools for future planning with the youth - align behaviors to goals
- Since the youth is motivated by her involvement in sports- explore if there are potential mentors for her
- Look into other mentoring programs, such as Girls on the Run
- Continue to explore outpatient SUD treatment
- Possible work on generational trauma in individual and family therapy - potential use of Attachment-Based Family Therapy
- Grief Therapy option
September 26, 2024 – 988 Crisis Line (PDF) – Kirk Vernon, 988 Coordinator, HeadQuarters Kansas
Case Study Recommendations
- Talk to the PCP about diabetic medication and how it’s making the individual feel, additionally coordinate collaboration between BH med provider and PCP.
- Timing of meds (Metformin) could be causing the GI issues.
- Look into the extended or osmotic release form of this medication to lessen the side effects.
- Possibly, the second dose can be taken with lunch or supper, as opposed to bedtime.
- If GI issues are resolved, the pantoprazole may no longer be needed.
- Look into additional community-based services through the local mental health center - Psychosocial Groups and/or Peer Supports could be a great addition to the supports she is already receiving.
- Explore with the individual what kinds of groups she would like to be involved in - based on interests, look into classes based on her interests, hobby, etc.
- Educate about the use of Crisis Services, including Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) through the mental health center as an alternative to going in to the ER.
Register for the Sunflower Project ECHO: Youth Behavioral Heath Services
Note: After registering you will be given the opportunity to save the series to your calendar of choice. You will also receive an invite via email.
Please do not forward your invite, as it is specific to each person.
To receive clinician continuing education credit from the University of Missouri or certificate of completion from Sunflower Health Plan, each participant must register individually.
Previous Series
Presentations and recommendations for previous Project ECHO sessions can be found on the Project ECHO archive page.