Alzheimer's & dementia
Implementation and outcomes of a statewide ECHO tele-mentoring program to enhance dementia care in primary care settings: The Tennessee Dementia ECHO Program
By Romano RR, Roby D, Bhattacharyya K and 7 others.
Abstract
Background
Primary care clinicians play a leading role in dementia care but often report limited training and confidence, particularly in rural settings. Scalable strategies are needed to strengthen workforce capacity.
Methods
We conducted a pre/post mixed-methods evaluation of the Tennessee Dementia Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) program, a statewide tele-mentoring initiative. Implementation outcomes included reach, adoption, and satisfaction. Effectiveness outcomes included changes in clinician confidence, knowledge, and self-reported skills assessed via session-specific surveys. Analyses included descriptive changes and effect sizes.