Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Project ECHO in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Suzan M WaltersWong Pui LiRumana SaifiIskandar AzwaSharifah Faridah Syed OmarZachary K CollierAsfarina Binti Amir HassanMarwan S HaddadFrederick L AlticeAdeeba KamarulzamanValerie A EarnshawPublished in: Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (2022)
Objective: In Malaysia, HIV is concentrated among key populations who experience barriers to care due to stigma and healthcare discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to healthcare. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a transformative tele-education strategy that could improve HIV prevention and treatment. Methods: Practicing physicians who were aged 18 years or older and had internet access participated in asynchronous online focus groups. Results: Barriers to Project ECHO were conflicting priorities, time constraints, and technology. Facilitators included content and format, dedicated time, asynchronized flexible programming, incentives, and ensuring technology was available. Conclusion: Project ECHO is a promising intervention that can increase physicians' knowledge and skill set in specialty medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventionists in Malaysia in particular, but also in general, should consider these barriers and facilitators when developing Project ECHO as they may aid in developing a more robust program and increase participation.
Keyphrases
- quality improvement
- healthcare
- magnetic resonance
- diffusion weighted imaging
- diffusion weighted
- contrast enhanced
- primary care
- health information
- physical activity
- mental health
- randomized controlled trial
- hiv testing
- human immunodeficiency virus
- hiv aids
- antiretroviral therapy
- social media
- hiv positive
- magnetic resonance imaging
- type diabetes
- men who have sex with men
- social support
- pain management
- chronic pain