The COVID-19 pandemic forced people online to consult their doctors, fast-tracking the growth of telemedicine as lockdowns prevented patients from leaving their homes. It also brought telementoring — specialists using technology to guide less experienced care providers from afar — to “the front lines of health care."
Such mentoring is particularly valuable in rural or remote areas, where patients need care that may be unavailable closer to home. Project ECHO, a pioneer in the telementoring field, has seen exponential growth since the pandemic, notably in low- and middle-income countries.
The New Mexico-based nonprofit organization brings teams of experts from specialized care sites together with local providers in weekly video sessions to discuss real, anonymized cases and share ways to address a specific health problem.
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
