Expanding access to specialized healthcare across Quebec: ECHO Superhub at The Neuro
Free, online training program strengthens training and brings specialized care to communities across Quebec
A healthcare telementoring program housed at The Neuro and supported by the is expanding its reach after achieving designation as an ECHO Superhub. Under the direction of Julie Scorah, PhD, this milestone ensures that specialized knowledge reaches underserved communities.
The program follows the , which connects expert specialists with professionals, trainees, and community partners through free, virtual clinics. Participants receive evidence-informed training on specific topics, such as mental health or diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions, and engage in case-based discussions with peers across public, private, and research sectors. The sessions, which are offered in French and in English, include presentations and insights from patient advocates and people with living and lived experience, ensuring a holistic approach to learning and service delivery.
鈥淔or too long, specialized services have remained siloed, with experts only available at specific clinics in urban centres with long wait times,鈥� says Scorah. 鈥淭he ECHO model allows us to share that expertise with professionals in rural and underserved regions, equipping them with the tools to provide specialized care directly in their own communities.鈥�
Scorah鈥檚 team was the first to introduce ECHO-Autism to Quebec, an eight-session training dedicated to enhancing diagnosis and care for individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism. Now, with the Superhub designation at the 不良研究所 Health Centre (MUHC), the team will be able to mentor new groups in launching their own ECHO initiatives on a wider range of healthcare topics.
鈥淎s a Superhub site, we can help launch new ECHO hubs at other organizations that are interested in joining the ECHO movement. We can also support the development of new trainings on any topic covered across MUHC sites,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f there is a group of clinicians or researchers wanting to start a training program to share expertise on cardiovascular diseases, for example, we can help them get set up with the model and how to organize that.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 about fostering equitable healthcare and ensuring that expertise is available where it鈥檚 needed most,鈥� Scorah adds.
About the ECHO training model
The model enhances service delivery and outcomes research. Its main goal is to reduce health disparities by connecting specialty care with primary care, especially in underserved and remote areas. By bridging these gaps, the ECHO model ensures that everyone, regardless of location, has access to high-quality healthcare.
For more information on ECHO trainings, including registration for upcoming sessions, visit .
Interested in the ECHO model at the MUHC? Reach out to Konstandina (Nadia) Bakopanos, ECHO Project Coordinator, at trainingndd [at] mcgill.ca.
