Marlene Moranino
Director of Clinical Programs

CHCACT has been running its Chronic Pain and Addictions Project ECHO since August of 2018. Six of Connecticut’s FQHCs are currently participating. Project ECHO utilizes a Hub and Spoke learning model developed by the University of New Mexico. Subject matter experts at the hub help primary care providers, the spokes, manage difficult disease processes within their primary care practices. CHCACT’s subject matter experts come from UConn as well as the health centers. To provide support to CT health centers, CHCACT’s Project ECHO centers on chronic pain and addictions, which aids clinicians in the treatment of patients who are experiencing complex pain and substance use disorders. In addition to the health centers, UCONN pharmacy students and residents participate along with clinicians from private practices to offer additional perspectives and experiences.  

CHCACT holds its sessions on the first and third Friday of every month for 1.5 hours. Each session consists of a didactic presentation by the UConn and health center subject matter experts followed by a deidentified case study presentation by a “spoke” participant. Some past topics covered in the didactic portion of the sessions include alternative pain management options, addiction within a chronic pain diagnosis, office-based screening tools, and depression and anxiety. Spokes bring forward cases to discuss medication regimens, alternative pain treatment options, how to deal with transient patients, and how to reduce medication overuse.

Project ECHO uses the ZOOM video conference platform to connect everyone in real time in the most efficient way to create an interactive environment where participants can share their questions, experiences, and best practices.  We are looking forward to some upcoming didactic topics around biological fluid testing and emerging treatments.  If you are interested in joining CHCACT’s Project ECHO, please contact me!