Across the Dominican Republic, primary care clinicians serve as the first line of defense against a rising tide of chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease. However, many of these healthcare providers work in community clinics far from urban medical centers. When a patient has a complex condition, these frontline doctors must often manage patient care without easy access to medical specialists.
To help bridge this gap in access and expertise, Project ECHO at Penn State has partnered with the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS). Together, they have launched a new 14-session telementoring program: "Comprehensive Care at the Primary Care Level: Prevention and Management of Cardiometabolic and Renal Diseases." It launched this past November, coinciding with World Diabetes Month.
The monthly series brings together approximately 75 primary care clinicians from across the Dominican Republic's public health system and connects them virtually with a network of specialized medical experts in the United States. Each session provides practical tools to prevent and manage chronic conditions, with a special emphasis on patient-centered care and older adults.
Learning through connection
Led by Ariana Pichardo-Lowden, professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Penn State College of Medicine, the series uses an active, case-based approach.
Rather than traditional lectures, the program relies on a collective learning. Each session features a real-life patient case presented by a clinician from the audience. This is followed by an interactive discussion among the participants, guidance from the expert faculty and a question-and-answer segment.
According to Pichardo-Lowden, this collaborative style reflects the heart of the ECHO model: "All Teach, All Learn." Knowledge is shared through telementoring, allowing clinicians to build new skills, improve their competence and form lasting professional connections.
