Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is designed to enhance the health care workforce in underserved areas by providing community-based primary care providers with knowledge and support to manage patients with complex conditions. It was developed at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other funders. Unlike teleconsultations, the goal of ECHO is to expand the capacity of primary care providers to independently manage patients with complex health care needs.

CHCS is providing consultation and technical assistance to support the replication and sustainability of the Project ECHO model across state Medicaid programs. As the Medicaid partner for Project ECHO, CHCS has:

  • Helped establish Medicaid funding for the program in New Mexico;
  • Collaborated with state Medicaid agencies and managed care organizations to identify new opportunities for replication and reimbursement; and
  • Helped to provide technical assistance for an innovation challenge award from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation focused on using ECHO Care to manage high-need, high-cost Medicaid enrollees through “outpatient intensivist” teams.