What is the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) AMR Program?

ASM has partnered with Project ECHO to create a distance learning program centered around antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through this program, laboratorians will:

• Improve capability to identify and perform quality control and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Improve knowledge, skill and ability to collect and report quality AMR information for improved patient management.
• Grow in critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.
• Develop and engage with an ongoing community of learning. 

Who benefits from participating in this program?

This program is designed for laboratory microbiologists and technologists who participate in AMR surveillance work in their country, whether at the national, regional or local level.

How does the program work?

A series of 23 AMR modules are conducted remotely via videoconferencing every 2 weeks.  Each 1-hour training consists of:

• A didactic component led by an ASM subject matter expert (SME).
• A case presentation by one of the surveillance sites.
• Group discussion on the presentation.
• SME summary.

The curriculum is modular and tailorable to the country's priorities. Content includes modules on designated microbes, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, use of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) standards, unexpected and intrinsic resistance and specimen management including specimen collection.

---