Project ECHO messaging

Use this resource to communicate the power of Project ECHO with clear, accurate information. Consistent messaging strengthens understanding, builds trust and reinforces a unified voice across all communications.

Whether you’re developing new materials, speaking with stakeholders or refreshing existing content, turn to this page whenever you need help communicating the value, impact and benefits of ECHO.

Vision and mission

Origin story

Project ECHO began with a familiar story of long wait times and a lack of medical resources in rural and underserved areas. For eight years, a young widow in rural New Mexico couldn’t afford the time off work, child care for her two young children or the long drives to see a specialist who could cure her hepatitis C. Eventually, her pain became unbearable — but by the time she made the trip to a specialist, her hepatitis C had progressed to late-stage liver cancer. She died a few months later. Her story, and many others like it, inspired the creation of ECHO.

With long wait lists and few specialists in rural and underserved areas, local health workers are the trusted lifeline of their communities. Project ECHO has evolved to best support these workers, providing a way to teach and learn from all corners of health care and the world. Specialists bring expertise on the latest treatments, while local providers share the circumstances of their patients and the priorities of their communities. Today, Project ECHO works well beyond medicine. Whether the focus is health, emergency preparedness, climate resilience, education or agriculture, the core vision is the same: connect people to mentor and learn from each other and work together to improve lives.

Messaging tips

1. Highlight Project ECHO’s impact on communities.
2. Know your audience and its interests, such as health care, education or climate.
3. Explain how the ECHO Model is scalable and adaptable.
4. Use accessible, easy-to-understand, nonclinical language.
5. Avoid acronyms and abbreviations.
6. Use examples and stories to connect audiences to your message.

We often use words and phrases as shorthand for big ideas. For most audiences, though, they can be obscure at best and leave room for people to misunderstand what we mean or make incorrect assumptions. Below is language to avoid where possible, and language to use sparingly — only when you’re confident your audience understands it, and with more explanation when you do.

Language to avoid

• “Tele-” anything, such as “telementoring”
• “Touching one billion lives”
• “Systems orchestrator”
• “ECHO way,” “ECHO platform” or “ECHO movement”
• “Trusted human network”
• “Proximal leadership”
• “Global mentoring network”
• “On the front lines” (avoid this and other war metaphors where possible)

Language to use sparingly and explain

• “Democratize” or “demonopolize knowledge” (we want to make sure knowledge isn’t held by a few but is accessible to all)
• “Hub and spoke”
• “Superhub” (always with an explanation)
• “Virtual communities of practice” (never shortened to “VCOP”)
• “Field catalyst” or “systems catalyst” (limit to funders who prioritize this language)
• “Capacity building”
• “Technology-enabled collaborative learning” (limit to narrow policy contexts where necessary)
• “Case-based learning” (limit to health care audiences)
• “Cultural context” or “local context” (too vague without more description)
• “Learning collaborative”
• “High frequency, low dose” (as a standalone phrase)

Key messages

Everyone, no matter where they live, should have access to quality health care and the opportunity to thrive in their community.

• Billions of people around the world still lack access to the health care they need.
• In many communities, dedicated health care workers, educators and local leaders are doing critical work but may not have the latest knowledge and ongoing support they need to succeed.
• Closing this gap is essential to improving outcomes and creating stronger, healthier communities.

Project ECHO moves knowledge to action where it is needed most.

• Project ECHO expands access to health care by connecting people with the knowledge, skills and support they need to serve their communities.
• ECHO connects subject-matter experts with health care providers, educators and other professionals focused on improving health and well-being in their local communities.
• Together, participants identify and develop practical, evidence-based approaches they can apply immediately in their local settings.
• The ECHO Model combines expert guidance with local knowledge to solve real-world challenges; everyone is a teacher and a learner.
• Through ongoing collaboration, participants build knowledge, skills and confidence.

Project ECHO is a proven global model for change.

• What began as a way to improve hepatitis C care in rural New Mexico has grown into a global community that improves health and well-being around the world.
• For more than 20 years, the ECHO Model has been adapted to address a wide range of challenges, from disease treatment to education and disaster response.
• ECHO programs reach more than 200 countries and areas.
• Thousands of active ECHO networks are improving lives and strengthening local capacity every day.
• These networks can mobilize quickly during emergencies and crises because trusted relationships already exist.

Project ECHO helps close the knowledge gap.

• We live in a world with unprecedented access to information, yet major inequities persist.
• Despite rapid advances in knowledge and technology, many communities remain disconnected from the expertise and resources they need.
• ECHO ensures that the right knowledge reaches the right people at the right time so they can act when and where it matters most.
• ECHO reduces barriers by connecting people directly to collaborative communities that combine expert guidance with local knowledge to solve real-world challenges.
• Shared learning leads to practical action that improves outcomes for individuals and communities.

Project ECHO is a collaborative learning model where everyone teaches and everyone learns.

• ECHO is based on the principle that every participant brings valuable knowledge and experience.
• Learning happens through discussion, peer exchange and collaborative problem-solving.
• Participants work through real-world cases and situations that reflect their everyday challenges.
• ECHO creates ongoing collaborative communities rather than one-time training events, helping health professionals, emergency workers and others improve the health and well-being of people in their communities.

Project ECHO accelerates the spread of best practices.

• ECHO helps organizations rapidly scale proven knowledge and best practices across communities.
• The ECHO Model replaces many costly, one-time training approaches with ongoing learning and support.
• Participants apply new knowledge in real time and adapt it to local needs.
• ECHO reduces the distance between knowledge and implementation.
• New information can be shared quickly and efficiently with the people who need it most to act locally in their communities.

In a world of information abundance, Project ECHO is using AI to transform knowledge into wisdom through contextualized support.

• AI should augment human connection, never replace it. Human expertise and validation remain central to the ECHO Model. It’s the mentorship and collaborative problem-solving that ultimately translate knowledge into real-world impact.
• ECHO is committed to using AI responsibly, transparently and in service of the communities we support.
• AI can help overcome language and access barriers, enabling greater participation and inclusion in resource-limited settings.