Building a statewide network of MOUD expertise using tiered ECHO® mentoring opportunities

Original research
by
Smithenry, Dennis W. et al

Release Date

2023

Geography

USA

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

This study explored the use of tiered mentoring opportunities within an ECHO® model to expand treatment capacity and develop a statewide network of medications for OUD (MOUD) expertise.

Findings/Key points

An incentivized ECHO® program yielded substantive outcomes in terms of increased prescribing capacity across the state. The use of tiered mentoring opportunities enabled participants to develop MOUD expertise and support novice providers in a growing statewide network. There is potential to train professionals to a high level of expertise when the ECHO® model is combined with a mentorship pathway.

Design/methods

We studied two incentivized Illinois MOUD ECHO® training programs by examining aggregate demographic and prescribing data across eight training cohorts (n = 199 participants). Participants (n = 51) in the last two cohorts were evaluated with expanded pre- and post-training surveys. Qualitative interviews were completed with a subset (n = 13) to examine effects observed in the survey data.

Keywords

About prescribers
Clinical guidance
Hesitancy of prescribers