title: Treating hepatitis C in American Indians/Alaskan Natives: A survey of Project ECHO(®) (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) utilization by Indian Health Service providers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  American Indians/Alaskan Natives have a high mortality associated with hepatitis C virus, yet treatment rates are low. The ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model(™), a videoconferencing technology for primary care providers, is underutilized at Indian Health Service facilities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain Indian Health Service providers' benefit of and barriers to utilizing hepatitis C virus TeleECHO clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We electronically sent an Active Participant Survey to Indian Health Service providers utilizing hepatitis C virus TeleECHO clinic and a Non-Participant Survey to other Indian Health Service providers interested in this clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 100% of Active Participant Survey respondents perceive moderate to major benefit of hepatitis C virus TeleECHO clinic in managing hepatitis C virus, and 67% of Non-Participant Survey respondents reported lack of administrative time as the major barrier to utilizing this resource.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indian Health Service providers participating in hepatitis C virus TeleECHO clinic perceive this resource as highly beneficial, but widespread utilization may be impractical without allocating time for participation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico (UNM), Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pindyck
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico (UNM), Albuquerque, NM, USA; Project ECHO, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Summers
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalishman
authors.affiliation: Project ECHO, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Lainey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flatow-Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico (UNM), Albuquerque, NM, USA; Project ECHO, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thornton
keywords: Infectious diseases; Native Americans/Alaskan Natives; TeleECHO; gastroenterology/hepatology; primary care; rural health