Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes Uruguay: A New Strategy to Promote Best Primary Care Practice for Autism

• Published in: Global pediatric health Vol. 6; p. 2333794X19833734
• Main Authors: Giachetto, Gustavo, Casuriaga, Ana Laura, Santoro, Anabella, Kanopa, Virginia, Garrido, Gabriela, Fernández, José, Cohen, Henry, Sohl, Kristin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 2019; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Autism; Health care; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Original; Primary care; Self image; Uruguay; training; primary care practices; autism; project ECHO
• DOI: 10.1177/2333794X19833734
• EISSN: 2333-794X

Introduction. In Uruguay, the special care required for children with neurodevelopmental disorders presents difficulties including lack of access to specialists and rehabilitation services. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) connects primary care clinicians from remote areas to specialists to enable them to treat complex conditions through ongoing education and mentoring. Objective. To share the experience of the ECHO Autism program during the first 2 years of implementation. Methods. Analysis of ECHO Autism clinics from June 2015 to June 2017 including clinical cases presented participants’ self-perception of changes in skills and competences. Results. Twenty clinical cases were presented: mean age 4.5 years; 15 were males; and 17 with medical and psychiatric comorbidities. After ECHO Autism implementation, a statistically significant improvement in participants’ self-perception of skills and competences was observed. Conclusions. ECHO Autism in Uruguay is a meaningful approach to autism care and offers improved access to best practice care.