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Project ECHO - Combining Specialist Knowledge and Local Treatment

Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva

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A respected presence in the medical field, Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva has guided a number of initiatives related to children’s health. Serving as a primary investigator, Dr. Ramesh Sachdeva worked on a grant project implementing the Project ECHO methodology within pediatrics care.

An innovative paradigm for medical education and treatment delivery, Project ECHO combines the principles of lifelong learning with knowledge-sharing networks. These operate on a “hub-and-spoke” model and connect teams of experts with primary care providers through the power of multipoint video conferencing.
Operated through the University of New Mexico, ECHO stands for Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes and is the brainchild of an Albuquerque liver disease physician. The model has been successful in de-monopolizing specialist knowledge and unlocking the potential of local practitioners. One example involves the successful rollout of comprehensive hepatitis C treatment through centers of excellence across New Mexico. This initiative alone involves more than 3,000 community health workers, physicians, and nurses, and meets the needs of 6,000 patients.