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ECHO Clinics

Intro to ECHO 

Mock ECHO case discussion

MACS ECHO™ Clinics follow a collaborative model of medical education that improves access to specialty care by linking expert specialist teams with healthcare providers and their practices through real-time, online learning sessions. Knowledge-sharing networks create a learning loop where community providers learn from specialists and each other. This allows best practices to emerge and increases access to high quality specialty care serving local communities. More about Project ECHO...

MACS currently offers ECHO Clinic learning communities for providers in a variety of clinical settings. Participants apply de-identified case based learning to master complexity. Each virtual ECHO clinic session will include didactic learning and case-based discussion. 

If you would like to present a case, please submit the Case Presentation Form to MACS.ECHO@som.umaryland.edu or fax to 855-337-MACS.

Project ECHO FAQs

Required Substance Use Training for DEA Registrants and Renewals

MACS ECHO Clinics count toward the 8-hour substance use training required for DEA registrants and renewals. According to guidelines from SAMHSA and the DEA, any organization recognized by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) may provide trainings that meet this new requirement. MACS ECHO Clinics are planned and implemented by MACS and Project ECHO, and are jointly accredited by the ACCME. For more information about the training requirement, visit MAT & MATE Acts.


Substance Use Disorders

Substance Use Disorders (SUD)

Fall Cycle: October 2023 - February 2024
Every 3rd Wednesday of the month from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm 

blue stethoscope with heart

Starting October 18, 2023, join our learning community for presentations and case-based discussions centered on best practices in SUD with Drs. Devang Gandhi, Michael Fingerhood, and Bethany Dipaula, PharmD.

  • October 18 - Initiation of BUP presented by M. Fingerhood
  • November 15 - Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV presented by A. Greenblatt
  • December 13 - Stigma: Using the Right Words to Support Patients with OUD presented by B. DiPaula
  • January 17 - Psychiatric Effects of Cannabis presented by D. Gandhi
  • February 21 - The MaHRTI Mission: A Harm Reduction Approach presented by S. Corbin, Maryland Harm Reduction Training Institute (MaHRTI)
  • March 20 - Pregnancy and SUD presented by C. Welsh

Register for cycle here

Registration is accepted on a rolling basis.

Benefits

  • Access to team of addiction specialists and peer learning community
  • Increase personal and practice capacity for high quality addiction treatment and patient care
  • Acquire new skills, competencies, best practices in substance use care
  • Continuing education credit (see accreditation section)

Who should participate?

  • Physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants
  • Pharmacists
  • Counselors and other staff involved in patient substance use care

Accreditation

joint accredited provider logoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Maryland Addiction Consultation Service (MACS) and Project ECHO. Project ECHO® is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACPE Designation Statement

This activity will provide pharmacists up to 1.0 contact hour.  UAN JA4008231-9999-23-043-L01-P has been assigned to this Knowledge based program.  CE credit information, based on verification of live attendance and completion of the program evaluation, will be provided to NABP within 60 days after the activity completion. 

ANCC Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour. Nursing contact hours will be awarded for successful completion of program components based upon documented attendance and completion of evaluation.

AAPA accreditation logoAAPA Credit Designation Statement – Live
Project ECHO has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Opioid Treatment Program

Providers in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) Setting

Fall Cycle: September 2023 - February 2024 
Every 1st Wednesday of the month from 12:30 - 1:30 pm

Starting Wednesday, September 6, join our learning community for presentations and case-based discussions specially designed for providers in an OTP setting with Drs. Devang Gandhi, Malik Burnett, and Aaron Greenblatt.teal icon of a clinic

  • September 6 - Harm Reduction presented by A. Greenblatt, MD
  • October 4 - Recent Regulatory Changes and their Impact on MOUD presented by D. Gandhi, MD
  • November 1 - Managing Chronic Pain and OUD presented by S. Merritt, MD
  • December 6 -  Linkage to Care presented by G. M. Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH
  • January 10 - Extended Release MOUD presented by G. M. Burnett, MD
  • February 7 - Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV in OTPs presented by A. Greenblatt, MD
  • March 6 - Changing Regulations and Their Impact on OTPs presented by D. Gandhi, MD

Register for cycle here

Registration is accepted on a rolling basis.

Benefits

  • Monthly case-based learning sessions
  • Consultation with experts and your peers on how to manage challenging cases
  • Focus on patient-centered care, harm reduction and best practices
  • Better understanding of OTP regulations
  • Free continuing education credit

Who Should Participate?

  • Physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and physician assistants working in OTPs
  • Clinical directors of OTPs
  • Counselors and other clinical staff in OTPs
  • Other clinicians involved in the care of OTP patients

Accreditation

joint accredited provider logoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Maryland Addiction Consultation Service (MACS) and Project ECHO. Project ECHO® is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACPE Designation Statement

This activity will provide pharmacists up to 1.0 contact hour.  UAN JA4008231-9999-23-036-L01-P has been assigned to this Knowledge based program.  CE credit information, based on verification of live attendance and completion of the program evaluation, will be provided to NABP within 60 days after the activity completion. 

ANCC Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour. Nursing contact hours will be awarded for successful completion of program components based upon documented attendance and completion of evaluation.

AAPA Credit Designation Statement – LiveAAPA accreditation logo
Project ECHO has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

CEU Credit:

Maryland Addiction Consultation Service (MACS) of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry is authorized as a sponsor of Continuing Education Units. MACS maintains responsibility for this program.

Maternal Health

Providers in Maternal Health Settings

Spring Cycle: January 2024 - April 2024
Every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 8:00 am - 9:00 am

teal icon of a pregnant woman

Starting January 9th, 2024 join us every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 8:00 am to 9:00 am for presentations and case-based discussions designed for providers in maternal health settings with Drs. Katrina Mark and Christopher Welsh.

Registration is accepted on a rolling basis.

For registration and more information including session details, visit the MACS for MOMs ECHO Clinicwebpage.

Trauma

Providing MOUD from a Trauma-Informed Perspective 

Inaugural Spring Cycle: March 2024 - June 2024 
Every 4th Wednesday of the month from 12:00 - 1:00 pm

Starting Wednesday, March 27, join our learning community for presentations and case-based discussions specially designed for providing MOUD from a trauma-informed perspective with Benjamin Israel, MD, Devang Gandhi, MD, and Kelly Coble, LCSW-C.

  • March 27 - Introduction to Trauma in MOUD presented by B. Israel
  • April 24 Social Determinants of Health - A. Ramprashad
  • May 22 Recognizing Trauma During MOUD Treatment - B. Israel
  • June 26 Early Interventions for Comorbid OUD and Trauma-Related Disorder - B. Israel

Register for cycle here

Registration is accepted on a rolling basis.

Benefits

  • Monthly case-based learning sessions
  • Consultation with experts and your peers on how to manage challenging cases
  • Focus on patient-centered care, harm reduction, and best practices
  • Better understanding of trauma-informed care and SUD
  • Free continuing education credit

Who Should Participate?

  • Physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and physician assistants
  • Clinical directors
  • Counselors and other clinical staff
  • Other clinicians involved in the care of patients with SUD

Accreditation

joint accredited provider logoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Maryland Addiction Consultation Service (MACS) and Project ECHO. Project ECHO® is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACPE Designation Statement

This activity will provide pharmacists up to 1.0 contact hour.  UAN JA4008231-9999-23-036-L01-P has been assigned to this Knowledge based program.  CE credit information, based on verification of live attendance and completion of the program evaluation, will be provided to NABP within 60 days after the activity completion. 

ANCC Designation Statement

Project ECHO® designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour. Nursing contact hours will be awarded for successful completion of program components based upon documented attendance and completion of evaluation.

AAPA Credit Designation Statement – LiveAAPA accreditation logo
Project ECHO has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

CEU Credit:

Maryland Addiction Consultation Service (MACS) of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry is authorized as a sponsor of Continuing Education Units. MACS maintains responsibility for this program.


What is Project ECHO?

Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a movement to connect local primary care teams with inter-disciplinary specialist teams to spread knowledge and amplify local capacity to provide best practice care for complex chronic health conditions. ECHO’s goal is to enable rural and traditionally underserved populations to receive high-quality care, when they need it, close to home. This low-cost, high-impact intervention is achieved by leveraging technology to connect expert mentors and multiple local primary care providers in online video-conferencing TeleECHO clinics.

The ECHO model™ links expert specialist teams at an academic institution with prescribers in local communities to address the inadequate supply of culturally appropriate and accessible specialty care in rural and traditionally underserved areas. Together, they participate in weekly teleECHO clinics, which are like virtual grand rounds combined with mentoring and patient case presentations. TeleECHO clinics focused on the treatment of substance use disorders and behavioral health disorders have been operating since 2005 with significant success in increasing the number of waivered prescribers as well as improving geographic access to medication-based treatment in rural and underserved areas. Find out more from the University of New Mexico.

How to request information about MACS ECHO Clinics

 

The Maryland Addiction Consultation Service is administered by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and funded by the Maryland Department of Health, Behavioral Health Administration.