Project ECHO Expands Reach Of Medical Specialists In Rural New Mexico

Since 2015, telemedicine has been helping connect doctors with people in rural parts of Kenya, which has proven to be crucial during the coronavirus pandemic. Although not all insurance companies have made the process easy and some residents don't trust the use of technology to keep their data safe, the practice has seen a significant increase in people with chronic diseases utilizing the system as a means of limiting their exposure to situations where they could be exposed to the virus.

By increasing access to maternal clinics and embracing innovations in medical telecommunications technology, Mongolia has dramatically decreased deaths related to pregnancy and birth. With many people living in remote areas of desert, women in Mongolia used to suffer a high maternal mortality rate. After a series of government-led health reforms, a vast majority of mothers currently have access to maternal health services.

Free, remote medical consultations are increasing healthcare access for the inhabitants of Bangladesh’s char islands. Using boats, laptops, and video conference software, local NGOs are bringing health services to char residents. One group, thesteps.org, provides residents with a telemedicine service called Teledaktra (TD), another nonprofit, Friendship, operates satellite clinics from a boat.

Health care is not easily accessible for those in Garissa, the capital of Garissa County in Kenya. This is especially problematic when it comes to safe childbirth practices. However, telemedicine is now connecting doctors to the community, overcoming logistical challenges that have plagued rural areas for centuries.

Hidalgo Medical Services is a nonprofit public health clinic that has set out to develop a model for delivering quality, affordable health care to rural communities through a comprehensive approach that addresses multiple patient needs at once.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium provides telehealth services to more than 100,000 Alaska Natives, primarily in small communities with limited access to travel. The organization, along with others like the Indian Health Service, also provide remote care to families with children with developmental needs, like those with autism.

Babyl Health provides over 3,000 daily e-health consultations to bridge the gap between Rwandan providers and patients. The two million registered users can dial *811# to book an appointment and are triaged, with those needing more extensive care referred to one of the 483 partner clinics around the country. The country’s universal health coverage pays for 90% of the appointment and the patient pays 200 RWF. The platform works on an app available on most citizens’ phones and doesn’t require an internet connection. When needed, patients receive prescriptions via SMS that they can bring to a local pharmacy.

A variety of telehealth counseling options throughout several Midwestern states are helping connect farmers with mental health clinicians. One option is online training, specifically targeted towards engaged couples and newlyweds, that teaches best practices for farming basics and managing communication and stress – already 1,500 people have enrolled in the course.

Providing access to international networks of expertise can improve the quality of healthcare available to those living in rural and remote areas. Project ECHO, an initiative based in New Mexico, has partnered with the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services to provide rural health care workers, doctors, and nurses with video-teleconferences with HIV specialists. The program helps to bridge knowledge gaps by providing access to an international network of specialists and resources for continuous leaning.

Drone-powered medical deliveries are no longer a concept of the future, thanks to Zipline, a California-based start-up that is delivering medical supplies to rural hospitals in Rwanda. While the drones are limited to carrying less than four pounds and dropping the supplies by parachute, this technology is allowing faster delivery and better access to care across the nation.