Program Information

Weitzman ECHO Alcohol Use Disorder meets twice-monthly via videoconferencing sessions and provides guidance on current best practices for preventing, screening, and treating Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the United States.

In each ECHO session, multidisciplinary experts share clinical pearls and resources during presentations and provide real case recommendations on participant submitted cases to improve providers' confidence in treating AUD in a primary care setting. The didactic presentations in this module will cover high-value topics related to AUD including medical and non-medical treatment options, developing capacity to implement screenings and treatment in short office visits, motivational interviewing, and patient education approaches. These didactic presentations and case discussions develop and strengthen participating providers' clinical competencies and confidence with treating AUD in primary care.

This activity meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 12-1pm ET.

Acknowledgement of Support 

This project is supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25AA031951 to translate research into practice on preventing, screening for, and treating alcohol use disorders in primary care. The content is solely the responsibility of the Weitzman Institute and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Target Audience

This activity is appropriate for the following audiences:

• Primary care medical providers (MD, DO, NP, PA)
• Behavioral health providers 
• Care team members

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to do the following:

1. Facilitate conversations with patients experiencing alcohol use disorder efficiently during primary care visits using language that promotes respect, reduces bias, and develops trust.
2. Analyze screening tool results for alcohol use disorder within primary care visits in accordance with NIAAA guidelines.
3. Assess the patient's readiness to modify behaviors related to alcohol use.
4. Apply most recent, evidence-based treatment strategies using a harm reduction approach when caring for patients experiencing alcohol use disorder.
5. Collaborate with the care team and patient to develop a treatment plan incorporating evidence-based techniques for alcohol use disorder.
6. Provide appropriate patient education in alcohol use prevention for patients at different life stages.

FAQs

What is Project ECHO®? Project ECHO® was developed by Sanjeev Arora, MD, at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and is a collaborative model of medical education and care management that helps improve clinicians' knowledge and skills to improve patient care. ECHOs are designed to be longer-term continuing education programs to create a virtual community for providers and care team members to connect and learn from leading experts and receive guidance from peers and experts. This ECHO learning community provides mentorship and peer support which make this model unique and provides long-lasting impact beyond typical e-learning styles. Weitzman ECHO clinics are specifically designed to meet the needs of safety net primary care providers and their communities like providers practicing in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). 

How is each ECHO session structured? Each ECHO session consists of a didactic presentation by the ECHO's expert faculty and a real patient case discussion presented by participating providers. During each ECHO session, participants learn skills and receive clinical pearls from the expert faculty didactic presentation and the case discussion and recommendations.

How much does it cost to participate? Enrollment is now open at no cost for the next curriculum year.

Who should participate? Primary care medical providers, behavioral health providers, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, or other members of the care team are welcome to join and register.

When do sessions occur? This ECHO will occur twice monthly for one hour. Our kickoff session will occur on January 28th, and sessions will occur every 2nd and 4th Tuesday from 2pm-3pm ET / 11am-12pm PT.

What level of participation is expected? Diabetes and Weight Management ECHO consists of 14 sessions. ECHO participants are expected to:

• Attend at least 75% of sessions
• Complete pre- and post-surveys
• Submit at least one case for recommendations
• Share webcams, when available
• Engage during peer case discussion

How do I join the live sessions? Do I need any special equipment? Weitzman ECHO sessions are held virtually using the Weitzman Education Platform and Zoom Video Conferencing. Access is available on any computer with an internet connection. For instructions on to how to join the live session, follow these Step-by-step instructions: Entering a Live Session.

How do I claim credit and download my CE/CME certificate? After the live session is completed, the session evaluation will be available right on the platform. Once you complete the session evaluation, you will be able to claim your credits and download your certificate.

How do I sign up? Register now by clicking on the "Register" tab at the top right of this page. After you complete registration, we will follow up with onboarding materials so you can join the program. If you have any questions regarding registration or the ECHO program, please contact Emma Warshauer, Education Program Specialist, at [email protected].

AMA Designation Statement

Moses/Weitzman Health System Inc. designates this Live activity for a maximum of 14 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.