Program Information

This activity meets the 2nd Thursday of every month from 1pm-2pm ET.

In collaboration with The France Foundation, the Weitzman Institute is offering Weitzman ECHO Weight Management in Community Health. This ECHO series is a no-cost, 10-session continuing education series for clinicians who face significant challenges in community health care concerning the formal diagnosis and management of obesity. This learning series connects primary care medical providers and care team members to a community of peers and subject-matter experts to improve providers' weight management with patients. At each session, subject-matter experts provide guidance from a multidisciplinary team approach to address patients' complex health needs related to obesity to better assess, treat, and care for patients. The Weitzman ECHO Weight Management in Community Health will meet for 1 hour virtually every 2nd Thursday of each month beginning July 11th. 

This ECHO series is designed for primary care settings and is now enrolling primary care medical providers, behavioral health providers, and other care team members including dietitians, nurses, and pharmacists. CME, CNE, CPE, and CEU credits will be provided for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, registered dietitians, and pharmacists, among others, by Moses/Weitzman Health System Inc., an accredited provider through Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education. 

Acknowledgement of Support

We would like to acknowledge our partner organization, The France Foundation.

This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Lilly. 

Target Audience

This activity is appropriate for the following audiences:

• Medical Providers (MDs, DOs, NPs, PAs)
• Registered Dietitians
• Nurses
• Pharmacists
• Social Workers
• Psychologists

Learning Objectives

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

• Outline factors that impact obesity risk and outcomes.
• Identify strategies to address barriers to initiating discussions about weight with patients with obesity in the community health setting.
• Utilize evidence-based interventions to diagnose patients with obesity in the community health setting. 
• Employ effective multi and inter-disciplinary care strategies to manage the care of patients with obesity in the community health setting.

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 a longer-term continuing education program 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, making this model unique and providing a 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 this 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, and other care team members including dietitians, nurses, and pharmacists who work with patients who are diagnosed with overweight or obesity are welcome to join and register.

When do sessions occur? This Project ECHO will occur once a month for one hour. Our kickoff session will occur on July 11, 2024, and sessions will occur the 2nd Thursday of each month from 1pm to 2pm ET.  

What level of participation is expected? Weitzman ECHO Weight Management in Community Health consists of 10 sessions in total. ECHO participants are expected to:

• Attend at least 75% of sessions
• Complete pre- and post- surveys
• Submit and present 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 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.

For additional questions about this ECHO program, please contact Emma Warshauer, Education Specialist, at [email protected]

AMA Designation Statement 

Moses/Weitzman Health System Inc. designates this Live activity for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.