Free, online training program strengthens training and brings specialized care to communities across Quebec
A healthcare telementoring program housed at The Neuro and supported by the Transforming Autism Care Consortium (TACC) is expanding its reach after achieving designation as an ECHO Superhub. Under the direction of Julie Scorah, PhD, this milestone ensures that specialized knowledge reaches underserved communities.
The program follows the Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model, which connects expert specialists with professionals, trainees, and community partners through free, virtual clinics. Participants receive evidence-informed training on specific topics, such as mental health or diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions, and engage in case-based discussions with peers across public, private, and research sectors. The sessions, which are offered in French and in English, include presentations and insights from patient advocates and people with living and lived experience, ensuring a holistic approach to learning and service delivery.
“For too long, specialized services have remained siloed, with experts only available at specific clinics in urban centres with long wait times,” says Scorah. “The ECHO model allows us to share that expertise with professionals in rural and underserved regions, equipping them with the tools to provide specialized care directly in their own communities.”
Scorah’s team was the first to introduce ECHO-Autism to Quebec, an eight-session training dedicated to enhancing diagnosis and care for individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism. Now, with the Superhub designation at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), the team will be able to mentor new groups in launching their own ECHO initiatives on a wider range of healthcare topics.
“As a Superhub site, we can help launch new ECHO hubs at other organizations that are interested in joining the ECHO movement. We can also support the development of new trainings on any topic covered across MUHC sites,” she says. “If there is a group of clinicians or researchers wanting to start a training program to share expertise on cardiovascular diseases, for example, we can help them get set up with the model and how to organize that.”
“It’s about fostering equitable healthcare and ensuring that expertise is available where it’s needed most,” Scorah adds.
About the ECHO training model
The Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model enhances service delivery and outcomes research. Its main goal is to reduce health disparities by connecting specialty care with primary care, especially in underserved and remote areas. By bridging these gaps, the ECHO model ensures that everyone, regardless of location, has access to high-quality healthcare.
For more information on ECHO trainings, including registration for upcoming sessions, visit
Interested in the ECHO model at the MUHC? Reach out to Konstandina (Nadia) Bakopanos, ECHO Project Coordinator, at trainingndd [at] mcgill.ca.
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