The Show-Me Dermatology Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) project at the University of Missouri aims to address unmet needs in communities with limited access to dermatologic care by bringing resources to make early, accurate, and potentially life-saving diagnoses of skin conditions such as cancer, according to a press release from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. The initiative is designed to offer educational and clinical support to primary care providers, where dermatology experts can help assist with diagnoses, correct misdiagnoses, and recommend treatments.
An investigation—published by Becevic et al in the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare—examining the benefits of the program revealed that under 40% of the participating primary care providers properly diagnosed their patients’ skin conditions and only 16% of initial treatments suggested by the primary care providers aligned with those recommended by the dermatology experts. First implemented in 2015—and at that time, it was the only dermatology ECHO initiative in the world—the program is now available in seven countries. “We hope our findings encourage more widespread … participation in innovative strategies, including ECHO and teledermatology, which remain underutilized,” concluded senior study author Karen Edison, MD, Professor Emerita of Dermatology as well as Senior Medical Director of the Missouri Telehealth Network, Show-Me ECHO, and Center for Health Policy at the University of Missouri.