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Telementoring: a novel approach to reducing the osteoporosis treatment gap

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Abstract

Summary

Bone Health ECHO telementors healthcare professionals to develop the clinical skills needed to provide advanced levels of care for patients with skeletal disorders. The goal of this mentorship model is to improve osteoporosis care in underserved areas, decrease the need for referral to specialty centers, and reduce the osteoporosis treatment gap.

Introduction

The Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model of telementoring has been shown to improve the care individuals with chronic hepatitis C. ECHO has since been adapted to the address unmet needs in the care of other chronic complex diseases and recently applied to the care of osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases.

Methods

Bone Health ECHO outcomes are assessed through an electronic data collector asking qualitative questions about self-efficacy. This is a progress report of Bone Health ECHO from its launch in October 2015 through May 2016.

Results

A total of 31 weekly Bone Health ECHO clinics were held over 8 months, with 43 individuals participating at least one clinic session. The number of clinics attended range from 1 to 30, with 13 learners attending more than 10 clinics and an average of 11 learners per clinic. Self-efficacy information provided by learners was diverse with many favorable anticipated changes in clinical practice.

Conclusions

Bone Health ECHO telementors healthcare professionals in underserved areas to provide advanced levels of care for patients with skeletal disorders. The experience of Bone Health ECHO will guide the development of similar telementoring clinics in other locations. More data are needed to fully evaluate this novel approach to reducing the osteoporosis treatment gap.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Mexico Clinical Research & Osteoporosis Center, 300 Oak St. NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    E. M. Lewiecki

  2. The ECHO Institute, University of New Mexico/Health Sciences Center, 1650 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, USA

    J. F. Boyle

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 2211 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    S. Arora & M. F. Bouchonville II

  4. Department of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 2211 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    D. H. Chafey

Authors
  1. E. M. Lewiecki
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  2. J. F. Boyle
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  3. S. Arora
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  4. M. F. Bouchonville II
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  5. D. H. Chafey
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. M. Lewiecki.

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Conflict of interest

E. Michael Lewiecki has received institutional grant/research support from Amgen, Merck, and Eli Lilly; he has served on scientific advisory boards for Amgen, Merck, Eli Lilly, Radius Health, Alexion, and Shire. Jeannie F. Boyle, Sanjeev Arora, Matthew F. Bouchonville II, and David H. Chafey declare that they have no conflict of interest. No writing assistance or funding was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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Lewiecki, E.M., Boyle, J.F., Arora, S. et al. Telementoring: a novel approach to reducing the osteoporosis treatment gap. Osteoporos Int 28, 407–411 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-016-3708-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-016-3708-2

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