USDs Statewide ECHO Network Shares Pandemic Knowledge with Rural Health Care Providers
Programs relevant to the pandemic are offered on Thursday evenings, and each program features experts addressing a variety of topics. Participants are able to ask questions and interact during the hour-long sessions. The ECHO project is particularly useful to deliver important information to rural health care providers who otherwise might not have direct access to expertise about COVID-19 and related issues. USD also offers ECHO programs about other health issues facing South Dakotans.
“Our staff, faculty and partners are creating invaluable content to share with our state’s health care professionals who benefit from ECHO’s information-sharing capabilities,” said Haifa Samra, dean of the USD School of Health Sciences and sponsor of one of South Dakota’s two ECHO hubs.
“ECHO provides a unique and interprofessional platform for our students, faculty and for health practitioners across the state. It allows for those of us in the health professions to share and exchange information, ideas, experiences and best practices to address current challenges.”
Partnering on the pandemic information series with the School of Health Sciences is USD’s Sanford School of Medicine, and leading that effort is Dr. Susan Anderson, dean of rural medicine at the medical school. Anderson emphasized the distinct contribution of the ECHO program, especially to rural health care providers. “I believe we are filling a niche,” she explained. “There is a lot of information about the pandemic communicated through a variety of mediums on a daily basis, and the ECHO programs provide a unique platform offering discussion and sharing.”
The series of programs about the pandemic started several weeks ago and will include at least eight weekly programs. Attendance has been strong with health care professionals from all regions of South Dakota. Programs are available on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. CT. For more information, and to register for one or more programs, visit the ECHO USD website at www.usd.edu/echo or contact ECHO via email at ProjectECHO@usd.edu.
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