The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME)/Health Quality Innovation Network (HQIN), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), is collaborating with Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to support peer tele-mentoring to providers engaged in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) through Project ECHO. Karen Hartwell, MD, MUSC Medical Director leads the MAT ECHO Hub with logistics coordinated by Rachel Grater.

Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a healthcare initiative developed to demonopolize knowledge and advance best practices in underserved communities. The ECHO model uses a “hub and spokes” approach linking a specialist team at an academic center, with primary care representing the “hub” and community providers representing the “spokes.” ECHO promotes an “all teach, all learn” philosophy.

Project ECHO, which focuses on opioid use disorders meets on the 1st and 3rd Fridays at 12 p.m. (ET)/11 a.m. (CT) via zoom. The aim is to boost knowledge and confidence in treating opioid use disorders, which increases access to care and reduces the incidence of opioid overdoses. Each session consists of a case presentation from a community member that leads to a discussion and recommendations. The case is followed by a relevant didactic presentation. A free hour of CME is available. The schedule of MAT ACCESS upcoming didactics can be found at scmataccess.org. If you would like to be added to the email list or to receive a link to one of the below sessions, contact ECHO coordinator Rachel Grater at grater@musc.edu.