The Influence of Project ECHO Participation on Professional Isolation and Burnout Among Geriatric Mental Health Providers

Professional isolation is a contributor to healthcare professionals’ burnout, a critical threat to the well-being and sustainability of the health workforce. One intervention that may be effective in mitigating professional isolation and decreasing burnout risk is a clinically-focused community of practice that prioritizes mentorship and collaboration, which are important aspects of the Project ECHO™ educational model. The present study therefore evaluated whether participating in a pan-Canadian ECHO program focused on building skills and capacity for geriatric mental health care impacted providers’ self-reported experiences with burnout and professional isolation. Using mixed-methods analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, pre- and post-program analysis did not identify any significant changes in self-reported burnout frequency. However, at the end of the program, 18.9% of participants reported that the program had changed their feelings of burnout and 44.2% reported that it had affected their sense of professional isolation. Participant comments spoke to themes of connection and access to valuable knowledge or expertise. While the program successfully enabled participants to access a professional network and valuable clinical resources, the program could not address all of the factors that influence the complex constructs of professional isolation and burnout. Since the program was designed to build clinical skills and capacity in geriatric mental health care, evaluating professional isolation and burnout among participants was a secondary question. The positive secondary effects of Project ECHO™ programs such as this one are important for engagement of healthcare professionals in ongoing professional development and to strengthen the health workforce into the future.