Kyle Leggott, MD; Leah Willis-Basche, MS; Joseph J. Saseen, PharmD; Alexis W. Burakoff, MD, MPH; Doug Fish, PharmD; Linda Oberst-Walsh, MD; Kurt Cook, MD, MSc; John F. Thomas, PhD
Corresponding Author: John F. “Fred” Thomas, PhD; University of Colorado. Email: john.thomas@cuanschutz.edu
Section: Family Medicine & The Health Care System
Publication: May 20, 2021
As was experienced across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic reached Colorado in early Spring, 2020. Yet, unlike many of the early hotspots in other states, the initial cases in Colorado surfaced in rural areas. It was evident early on it would be a public health crises unlike anything Colorado had ever faced. There was an urgent need for rapid dissemination of up to date information and practice support provided by a multi-disciplinary task force of academic health center and state public health experts working collaboratively to meet these needs. This article provides a roadmap for the development of a similar model, a community-connected ECHO program based at an academic medical center’s ability to facilitate the service rapidly, and scale to need.