Oct 3, 2024

Reflections from Public Health in the Rockies 2024

The Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC) was excited to be a sponsor of Public Health in the Rockies 2024 (PHiR), held last week in Keystone, Colo.

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The Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC) was excited to be a sponsor of Public Health in the Rockies 2024 (PHiR), held last week in Keystone, Colo. Fifteen PMCC staff members journeyed to the Rocky Mountains to participate and join with partners to present on topics including pediatric suicide prevention, cancer survivorship, a peer education program for incarcerated individuals, the ECHO model, and how eConsults improve health equity at federally qualified health centers.

PHiR provided opportunities for education, networking and skill development for professionals in Colorado, Wyoming and neighboring regions. It provided a forum for the more than 600 attendees from the public health sector to develop new skills, demonstrate best practices, exchange lessons learned, share current research and discover valuable resources.

PMCC representation and its impact were sprinkled throughout the conference, as many team members were directly involved with ECHO- and eConsult-related posters and presentations. But PMCC’s impact was present in other sessions and spaces, reflective of the fact that many of our partners had ECHO-related work they were proud to showcase. During their presentations, our Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) partners discussed the success of three recent ECHOs: Colorado Updates in Public Health, Syphilis in Colorado: A Call to Action, and Past the Pandemic.

“This is a testament to the great reputation we have for working with the public health community in Colorado; it shows all of the great connections we have made over the years,” said Sue Stoveall, PMCC marketing and outreach manager.

PMCC project coordinator Ashley Clark benefited from conference networking opportunities, including a reception hosted by the Colorado School of Public Health, where she shared her business card with two other CSPH alumni who are now also working in public health. They talked and are now interested in learning more about ECHO Colorado and a potential partnership with their organizations.

“It was great to attend the conference and see the bigger picture of the impact of our work, and to see it valued and respected by public health professionals from across the state,” said Clark.

PHiR advances the work of the Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) to transform the health and well-being of Coloradans. CPHA provides the public health community with a forum, networks and opportunities to participate and collaborate in our core areas of work. Overall, PHiR works to build a more robust public health workforce.

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Sep 5, 2024

CDPHE AND ECHO COLORADO PARTNER IN RESPONSE TO RISE IN SYPHILIS IN COLORADO

Data released in February by the CDC identified Colorado as one of five states with a maternal syphilis rate that rose more than 400% from 2016

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Data released in February by the CDC identified Colorado as one of five states with a maternal syphilis rate that rose more than 400% from 2016 to 2022. Last April, in response, the Polis administration organized a comprehensive effort to save the lives of babies in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment’s (CDPHE) strategic approach was to use every collaborative effort within its reach to intervene on the transmission of syphilis.

As part of its strategy, CDPHE engaged with ECHO Colorado to create Syphilis in Colorado: A Call to Action, a four-session ECHO series for providers and professionals across Colorado’s health care, public health and corrections systems that covered the most pressing gaps in screening, identification and treatment of syphilis. It also addressed the social factors that have contributed to the continued proliferation of the disease in our communities, particularly among those who have limited access to obstetric and sexual health care.

CDPHE was excited to partner with ECHO Colorado based on its experience with other series including the ongoing Colorado Updates in Public Health and topic-specific series on Mpox and COVID-19 therapeutics. Together, CDPHE and ECHO Colorado created thoughtful content that was delivered in June to over 170 participants. The post-series evaluation showed a significant increase in provider awareness around social factors and stigma associated with syphilis, as well as an increase in knowledge related to the use of point-of-care testing, lab interpretation and treatment completion.

“We know that one learning series will not solve all of our concerns with the increases in syphilis and congenital syphilis, however it has planted a seed for the department and our partners to continue the work in developing additional training opportunities at the local level,” said Adrianna Hervey, CDPHE Surveillance and Case Ascertainment, Program Manager, Office of STI/HIV and Viral Hepatitis.

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Jul 8, 2024

Rural eConsult Program Expected to Grow with New Federal Funds

The Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC), based at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, will expand crucial telehealth services to rural Colorado with the help

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The Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC), based at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, will expand crucial telehealth services to rural Colorado with the help of new federal funding. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) joined program and campus leaders last Friday to announce the $403,000 Community Project Funding Request, which he secured earlier this year in the fiscal year 2024 government funding bill, and praised CU School of Medicine faculty members for their work reaching underserved communities through the PMCC’s eConsult program. Funding for the eConsult program was also supported by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). Read more here.

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Jun 4, 2024

PMCC’s RESPONSE TO LONG COVID INCLUDES MORE ECHOs AND INVESTMENT IN eCONSULTS INFRASTRUCTURE

ECHO Colorado, part of University of Colorado’s Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC), recently launched the ninth and final asynchronous course as part of the CDC-funded Long

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ECHO Colorado, part of University of Colorado’s Peer Mentored Care Collaborative (PMCC), recently launched the ninth and final asynchronous course as part of the CDC-funded Long COVID and Fatiguing Illness Recovery Program. The series of nine courses was created due to the growing number of Long COVID cases being seen in primary care, and focused on enabling PCPs to assess and manage the condition in the outpatient setting.

The final course, A Multidisciplinary Approach to Long COVID Care: Three Case Studies, walks through real-world case studies via video, offering relevant insights into the epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical management of brain fog, orthostatic intolerance and PEM/fatigue associated with Long COVID. The course is open now through March 7, 2025.

Additional PMCC programs addressing the need for improved Long COVID care are scheduled to launch later this year. PMCC is one of nine $5 million grant awardees announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). ECHO Colorado programs supported by the grant include live and asynchronous learning opportunities for primary care providers. The funds will also enable PMCC to develop eConsult support for a broadening range of primary care providers struggling with the presentation and management of Long COVID in patients.

“Long COVID is an important public health threat impacting millions of individuals, including 600,000 Coloradans, and currently care for Long COVID is fragmented, variable in nature and in constant evolution,” said John “Fred” Thomas, PhD, PMCC Executive Director and Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine and School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology. “This funding will support the implementation of integrated, multidisciplinary Long COVID care in Colorado via PMCC’s ECHO and eConsults platforms.”

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