Direct and Indirect Effects of a Project ECHO Longitudinal Clinical Tele-Mentoring Program on Viral Suppression for Persons With HIV: A Population-Based Analysis

Background: Project Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) aims to connect community providers to academic specialists, deliver longitudinal clinical mentorship and case consultations, plus encourage dissemination of knowledge and resources. The impact on outcomes for persons with HIV (PWH) is uncertain. Setting: PWH in Washington and Oregon outside of the Seattle and Portland metro areas, January 2011 to March 2018. Methods: Using viral load (VL) surveillance data, we assessed difference in the percentage of PWH who were virally suppressed among PWH whose providers participated versus did not participate in Project ECHO. Analyses included multiple mixed-effects regression models, adjusting for time and for patient, provider, and clinic characteristics. Results: Based on 65,623 VL results, Project ECHO participation was associated with an increase in the percentage of patients with VL suppression (13.7 percentage points greater; P
Source: JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Implementation Science Source Type: research