Checking in with past ECHO participants to better understand their experience is a key step to making the program even better as we enter 2026. We heard about enablers and barriers to attending, impact on their practice, and the value of ECHO as a community of practice.
In total, 21 people accepted the invitation to be interviewed (16 from BC, 2 from Alberta and 2 from Ontario). Professions included physicians, nurses, clinical educators, social workers, Executive Directors, and volunteers, a funeral director, an end-of-life doula, and care coordinators. The care settings represented included long-term care, hospice, acute care, palliative care units and community care.
What we heard:
- ECHO is an accessible way to recieve education and connect with other care providers. Participants appreciated the enablers — free, scheduled during lunch breaks, short duration, and they don’t need to seek permission or backfill to attend
- Content and speakers were trusted and validated
- ECHO sessions provide an opportunity to learn about and from others – what services they offer and how they connect to the ecosystem of care.
In their own words:
About the ECHO experience
” It’s really beneficial to hear and feel supported by others working in the field who have far more experience than I, who have medical backgrounds or lived experience to share.”
“…being able to come and discuss with other professionals in a similar vein has been really beneficial. It reinforces that where I’m at and current standards are in alignment, which is very helpful for me… I would say it has reaffirmed the value of the way I think and the way I approach the work I do. So it builds confidence and also some of these discussions and whatnot, even if I don’t agree with them, they’re great for conversation starters or thinking on other perspectives.”
When asked if ECHO contributes to their own self-efficacy, their belief in their abilities and experience
“….we’re on the right path, and we’re doing the right things. And people are asking for what we’re doing, so I think we must be doing something right. That’s definitely very encouraging for sure.”
When asked if they have applied what they learned:
“Absolutely. I think there’s always things, ways of approaching things. So I always like to hear, even if it’s just links to resources or other things I haven’t heard about, because there’s a lot of information out there that I haven’t heard about… So I really appreciate hearing different things and hearing different approaches to care and approaches to psychosocial support.”
When asked about the accessibility of ECHO:
…” Therein lies the benefit of the virtual aspect … I don’t have to factor in commute time, parking, fees, all that kind of stuff, and so it’s right at my fingertips within whatever care site I happen to be on that day. So long as I have my phone or a computer, I can join.”
“… there are people in rural areas who can’t get to the main centres to attend education. It’s just not an option, whether it’s not funded or they just don’t have time or they’re not backfilled or it’s more than a day travel to get to where the conference would be. I think the virtual option has really given an opportunity for people to have access to education, especially in rural communities.”
Want to learn more and participate in ECHO. Please contact us at echo@bc-cpc.ca. You can also check our webpage for upcoming session information.
We post a number of our past sessions on our YouTube channel.
We look forward to continuing to work with our partners who put so much energy and effort into crafting evidence-based sessions that spark conversation and connection with our participants.
