Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health released the following statement after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced an initiative to help laboratories in rural communities improve diagnostic excellence based on the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes “ECHO” Model.
“Project ECHO is an effective way to ensure widespread access to care,” Burgess said. “This guided practice model has proven overwhelmingly successful in growing workforce capacity to provide best-practice specialty care and reduce health disparities.
“I have been a strong advocate for Project ECHO since sponsoring the Expanding Capacity for Health Outcomes Act, which facilitated integration of Project ECHO into health systems across the country and was signed into law in December 2016. Last year, I introduced H.R. 5199, the ECHO Act of 2019, which would authorize grant funding to expand the use of ECHO models.”
“I appreciate the CDC’s priority to reduce diagnostic error by utilizing the Project ECHO model. Bringing together laboratory professionals, clinicians, and Project ECHO leaders in a collaborative effort will help to achieve the goal of this initiative.”
The CDC is inviting all public health, laboratory, and clinical professionals to participate in real-time collaborative monthly sessions. To sign up, click here.
