Networks matter: Project ECHO at Permanente Executive Leadership Summit

Anyone who has ever learned about Project Echo (@ProjectEcho) is familiar with this iconic slide –  it shows the creation and support of knowledge networks among clinicians to build capacity for our health care system.

Thanks to the blog-wayback machine, I traced my first encounter with Sanjeev Arora, MD, and Project Echo to October, 2009 (!), in this blog post: HIStalk Interviews Sanjeev Arora (Project Echo – New Mexico) | HIStalk | Ted Eytan, MD

And here’s what I said back then:

I recently also had the chance to learn about Project ECHO from Sanjeev Arora. I liked the emphasis on skill-building among primary care clinicians caring for more complex conditions. It seems in this case that technology can recreate some of what was lost when primary care providers left hospital care and greater interaction with specialty care colleagues. See what you think.

So here we are, 5 years later, and through the magic of the networks we share, including the Robert Wood John Foundation Pioneer Portfolio and the RWJF Leadership Network, Sanjeev has now presented his work at the Permanente Executive Leadership Summit (PELS), which is an every 2-year dialogue about the future of care delivery at Kaiser Permanente.

And…. if you know of Sanjeev’s passion and how Project Echo works, you know this turned out, in a room full of health system leaders, technologists, physicians, and nurses passionate about producing health for people wherever they are. And, multispecialty medical groups working together to support member and community health is what we are all about 🙂

I’ve written multiple blog posts over the years about Project Echo (you know, adult learning, repetition…) including ones that link to his innovation’s very first discovery – you can see them all here.

People ask me how we got connected, and it was via social media of course, and the specific amazing aspect of social media which is that it allows to listen to ideas you have never heard about before. Because as I say often, I’m not that smart, my ideas are not that unique, and if someone is doing something better than me, I want to know about it. Sanjeev exudes that quality as a sub-sub specialist which is what allows him to be a patient, yet captivating teacher. When you think of the kind of consultative specialist that you want to work with, these are the things that come to mind.

Let’s see what happens from here, in the meantime, thanks Sanjeev, all of his boosters in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (@RWJF @PioneerRWJF) network, and now the ones in the Permanente Executive Leadership summit network.

Just a few more action shots – I know, this is a hotel conference room, but trust me, all of that melted away during this special moment…

Ted Eytan, MD