PGx ECHO
The University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy is proud to host the nation's first Project ECHO program focused on pharmacogenomics-informed clinical treatment.
As a profession, pharmacy is at the beginning stages of readying its current workforce for healthcare guided by pharmacogenomics (PGx). PGx is not yet used clinically in most healthcare organizations, and active integration of PGx into pharmacists' practices is especially a need in rural areas and those primarily caring for underserved groups. To fully realize the potential for PGx, the clinical workforce must have equitable access to training in its use.
About PGx ECHO
PGx ECHO is a collaborative effort of the Hub Site at the University of Minnesota and seven Spoke Sites: Children's Minnesota, Ferris State University, M Health Fairview, Manchester University, North Dakota State University, Sanford Health, and South Dakota State University. PGx ECHO aims to address the lack of PGx education and support for implementation across rural and underserved areas in the Midwest; a further goal is to assist other regions of the U.S. in creating their own PGx ECHOs.
PGx ECHO focuses on improving the confidence of healthcare professionals in the use of PGx in patient care by providing them with education and consultation through telementoring as they incorporate evidence-based PGx information into their clinical practice. PGx ECHO meets monthly and is composed of PGx specialists and healthcare professionals who desire patient consultation, advanced case-based learning and short didactic education in PGx. Current programming is free and open to licensed healthcare professionals involved in direct patient care with a priority for those in rural and underserved areas. To maintain the objective and commercial-free programming of the PGx ECHO, attendees' affiliation must be academic and / or clinical in nature.
The Four Principles of the ECHO Model
- Use technology to leverage scarce resources
- Share "best practices" to reduce disparities
- Apply case-based learning to master complexity
- Evaluate and monitor outcomes
Program Objectives of PGx ECHO
- Disseminate PGx knowledge by providing consultation on participants PGx patient cases and recommendations for improving medication outcomes
- Support participants in building practice-relevant skills and applying PGx knowledge
- Build a PGx community of practice and collaboratively model practice for PGx guided care delivery
- Promote health equity by expanding patient access to PGx-guided medication management
PGx ECHO Commitment to Collaboration
In the spirit of collaboration, PGx ECHO is committed to working with community partners. PGx ECHO will:
- Offer regular didactic presentations on PGx-related topics.
- Offer special curricula and training opportunities on PGx-related topics.
- Review patient cases presented by clinicians at partnering clinics and provide timely, written recommendations.
- Provide routine, remote IT user support to facilitate connectivity and participation.
- Be available, when possible, outside of teleconference times for emergent questions or issues, as necessary.
Interested in joining? pgxecho@umn.edu
Session Format
Session Format
PGx ECHO holds monthly, hour-long Zoom sessions PGx ECHO holds monthly, hour-long Zoom sessions comprising an educational mini-lecture or paper, case presentations and discussions. "All teach, all learn" is a foundational element supporting each participant to share and contribute to the sessions and learn through advanced case-based practice. The design of the session facilitates a community of learning and continued engagement.
2021-2022 Schedule
2021-2022 Schedule
| Date of Session | Coordinating Spoke Team | Didactic Topic and Speaker | Case Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 15, 2021 | Manchester University | Utility of PGx | David Kisor, BS, PharmD | Joe Brown, BS; Tom Smith, PharmD |
| November 19, 2021 | Sanford Health / NDSU | PGx Clinical Resources | Natasha Petry, PharmD, MPH | Samantha Frear, PharmD; Natasha Petry, PharmD, MPH |
| December 17, 2021 | Sanford Health / SDSU | SSRIs and PGx | Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA | Natalie Sovell, PharmD; Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA |
| January 21, 2022 | Children's Minnesota | PGx Testing and Atomoxetine | David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD | Courtney Paetznick, PharmD; David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD |
| February 18, 2022 | Mayo Clinic | Pharmacogenetic Considerations in a Patient with Treatment-Resistant Depression | Dimple Dhakal, PharmD, MS | Dimple Dhakal, PharmD, MS; Eric T. Matey, PharmD, MBA |
| March 18, 2022 | Ferris State University | DPYD and Capecitabine: Direction Pharmacogenomic Decisions | Samuel Snowaert, BS, PharmD, MBA | Maja Hill, PharmD; Claire Saadeh, BS, PharmD; David Bright, PharmD, MBA |
| April 15, 2022 | University of Minnesota | Legislative Update | Pamala Jacobson, PharmD, FCCP | Sue Paul, BS |
| May 20, 2022 | University of Minnesota | Introduction to Phenoconversion and Assessment Tools | Jeffrey Bishop, PharmD, MS, BCPP, FCCP | Mark Schneiderhan, PharmD, BCPP |
| June 17, 2022 | Sanford Health / SDSU | CYP2C19-Clopidogrel Interactions in the Neurovascular Setting | Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA | Samantha Frear, PharmD; Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA |
| July 15, 2022 | University of Minnesota | May Session Follow Up | Mark Schneiderhan, PharmD, BCPP |
| August 19, 2022 | Cleveland Clinic | TBA | Jennifer Hockings, PharmD, PhD | Alex Nilges, PharmD, MBA |
| September 16, 2022 | MHealth Fairview | TBA | Susie Long, PharmD | TBA |
| October 21, 2022 | SUNY Upstate Medical University | TBA | Danielle DelVecchio, PharmD, BCPS | TBA |
| November 18, 2022 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| December 16, 2022 | University of Montana | TBA | Erica Woodahl, PhD | Karen Brown, PharmD |
People | Hub Site
People | Hub Site
| Hub Team Member | Organization | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Bishop | University of Minnesota | ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Jacob Brown | University of Minnesota | ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Pamala Jacobson | University of Minnesota | ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Alyssa Johnson | University of Minnesota | ECHO Program Coordinator/IT Support |
| David Stenehjem | University of Minnesota | ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Lindsay Sorge | University of Minnesota | ECHO Project Manager |
People | Spoke Sites
People | Spoke Sites
| Spoke Lead | Organization | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Baye | Sanford Health/South Dakota State University | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| David Bright | Ferris State University and affiliates | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| David Gregornik | Children’s Minnesota | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| David Kisor | Manchester University and affiliates | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Natasha Petry | Sanford Health/North Dakota State University | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
| Susie Long | M Health Fairview, Minneapolis | Mentor/Subject Matter Expert |
What is Project ECHO?
Today’s technology-enabled models of collaborative learning and capacity-building are largely based upon Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), developed in 2003 by Dr. Sanjeev Arora, a liver disease specialist at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Arora had sought to significantly improve patient outcomes for hepatitis C among rural and underserved populations by capturing specialized knowledge in the treatment of the disease and bringing it to primary care clinicians in these communities. He devised a telementoring format for these providers to join in “virtual clinics”—weekly case-based conversations with experts in the disease’s treatment. By participating in the Project ECHO, the practitioners in rural and underserved areas began to acquire the knowledge and capacity they needed to treat this complex health condition. The Project ECHO model has since been replicated for other complex health conditions.