Alzheimer's Association Named the World's First ECHO Superhub for Alzheimer's and Dementia Care

—– New program will focus on recruiting, training and supporting health systems and other providers to build dementia care expertise in communities across the country —–

CHICAGO, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alzheimer's Association has been named the world's first Project ECHO Superhub for Alzheimer's and dementia care. The newly established Superhub will provide training, technical assistance and support to health systems and other organizations looking to launch ECHO-based programs to enhance person-centered, high quality dementia care.

Project ECHO uses videoconferencing to connect specialists with community providers, offering mentoring and support through interactive presentations, case studies and sharing best practices. Developed by the University of New Mexico (UNM) in 2003, ECHO was first used to train primary care clinicians in rural communities to treat patients with hepatitis C. Since then, the model has grown to include thousands of ECHO programs in over 200 countries to improve access to high-quality care for nearly 100 health conditions and other categories.

UNM named the Alzheimer's Association a ECHO Superhub in recognition of the Association's successful Alzheimer's and Dementia Care ECHO training programs for professional care providers and health systems and medical professionals, which have been delivered to more than 2,000 primary care providers and professional caregivers since launching in 2018.

"The Alzheimer's Association is excited to serve as an ECHO Superhub for Alzheimer's and dementia care," said Dana Sohmer, director, Project ECHO, Alzheimer's Association. "We look forward to partnering with health systems and other providers to build dementia care expertise in more communities so that all affected by Alzheimer's and other dementia get the care they need."

While primary care physicians (PCPs) are often on the front lines diagnosing and caring for people living with dementia, many say they are not adequately prepared. A 2020 Alzheimer's Association survey of PCPs found that 50% did not feel adequately prepared to care for diagnosed individuals. Nearly 40% reported that they were "never" or "only sometimes" comfortable making a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or another dementia. More than 25% of PCPs reported being "never" or "only sometimes" comfortable answering patient questions about Alzheimer's or other dementias. More than half of PCPs (55%) say there are not enough dementia care specialists in their area to meet patient demand, a problem more common in rural areas.

The Alzheimer's and Dementia Care ECHO Program report is aimed at enhancing dementia care expertise among PCPs and other providers. Care providers participating in the program report increased confidence, knowledge and job satisfaction, including:

• 96% of PCPs reported that Project ECHO improved quality of care.
• 99% of PCPs reported increased positive interactions with caregivers and families.
• 95% of PCPs made changes to care delivery after participation in ECHO.
• 80% of long-term care providers reported ECHO influenced positive interactions with caregivers and families.
• 74% of long-term care providers strongly agreed or agreed that Project ECHO improved quality of care.

"Our Alzheimer's and Dementia Care ECHO Program has a proven track record of success," Sohmer said. "We want to share our expertise and the lessons learned over the past six years to help our new partners establish ECHO programs that benefit front-line providers, but more importantly, enhance dementia care for the individuals and families they serve. This is a win-win proposition for all." 

As a newly established Superhub, the Alzheimer's Association is authorized to recruit, train and support new partners interested in enhancing person-centered, high quality dementia care, particularly in underserved areas. Partners will receive access to wide-ranging Alzheimer's Association resources, including initial training and ongoing guidance on program design and planning, curriculum development, target audience and faculty selection, and budget planning and sustainability planning.

Participation in ECHO is free and offers many benefits for patients, providers, communities and the health system, including:

• Expanded access for people in medically underserved areas, rural and urban, to receive care and support they need from providers they know.
• Improved patient experiences through decreased wait times and travel to seek specialty care.
• Improved clinician confidence and competence to diagnose and manage Alzheimer's disease and other dementia.
• Reduced clinician burden and increased efficiency by optimizing health care team roles.
• Rapid dissemination of best practices.
• Reduced disparities in care.
• Workforce training.
• Improved quality, safety and population health.
• Potential reduction in health care costs.

In addition to its new work as an ECHO Superhub, the Alzheimer's Association will continue to offer its existing Alzheimer's and Dementia Care ECHO Program, which offers separate training programs for primary care providers, long-term care community staff and public health professionals. For more information for participating in any of the Alzheimer's Association ECHO programs visit alz.org/ECHO or contact [email protected].

The Alzheimer's Association ECHO Superhub is supported by Eisai and Lilly.

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association