Community Health Workers
Weitzman ECHO for Community Health Workers was a 12-month program with sessions twice a month that connected Community Health Workers and similar roles such as Patient Navigators, Promotoras, and Peer Supporters over Zoom videoconferencing (accessible by any computer with internet or phone) to a community of peers and subject-matter experts.
This ECHO was designed for those managing a panel of patients where a main goal is to support them in achieving their healthiest life by helping them overcome the Social Determinants of Health that they are experiencing, such as food insecurity, unstable housing, lack of transportation, etc. The goal of this ECHO was to create a virtual community for Community Health Workers in order to provide ongoing learning opportunities and support from subject-matter experts and peers. Learning opportunities were available in the form of brief presentations by faculty in areas such as complex disease management, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, accessing resources in your communities, integrating with the clinical care team, and ending the patient relationship.
Participant Testimonials
“It was my first time participating and I [didn’t] really know what to expect but I loved it. The content, the way the message was delivered and the interaction was amazing. Definitively looking forward to the next one.”
“We thought this educational session was very beneficial and holds a lot of truth to the relationships we establish with patients. It is extremely important to establish boundaries with patients in order to increase their overall autonomy and empowerment, as well as decrease burnout with employees. The case studies provided were also very unique and the suggestions from colleagues were very insightful and helpful as we begin to work with patients that deal with similar social determinants of health.”