Healthcare capacity building is often seen as a one-way exchange, experts teach, healthcare professionals learn. The ECHO Model proves otherwise. Every session creates a two-way learning environment where participants gain knowledge, and trainers continually deepen their own understanding.
For Dr. Shrikant Karode, Class I Physician, Daga Women's Hospital, Nagpur, the last two and a half years as faculty for ECHO India's Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS) Program have been a testament to this approach. The program uses the ECHO Model to connect experts with doctors and frontline healthcare professionals, equipping them with the knowledge and updated clinical practices needed to manage cardiometabolic syndrome. While training medical officers, Dr. Karode found himself constantly learning, reflecting, and updating his own knowledge alongside the participants.
Conducting regular sessions with doctors from different regions and districts has given him a front-row view of their evolving confidence. He has seen participants move from treating diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia as isolated conditions to understanding Cardiometabolic Syndrome as a connected clinical entity requiring early risk assessment and comprehensive management. "Most participants know individual conditions like diabetes or hypertension, but they are often unaware of Cardiometabolic Syndrome as an umbrella concept. As the sessions progress, they begin to understand its clinical significance and the importance of a holistic approach."
The discussions in the training sessions often extend beyond textbooks. He recalls a discussion with participants from Uttarakhand who asked whether a traditional local drink, widely believed to control blood pressure, could be recommended to patients. "I explained that although such practices may be locally popular, there is currently no scientific evidence or national guideline supporting their use. Therefore, we should continue following evidence-based national treatment guidelines." The conversation reinforced an important reality: while healthcare practices often vary across regions, quality care must remain grounded in scientific evidence.
The program has also reminded Dr. Karode of something equally important: even experienced clinicians need to revisit the fundamentals. "The CMS Program takes us back to the basics while keeping us updated with newer knowledge. It also reinforces that effective cardiometabolic care is not just about medicines but about lifestyle modification, patient counselling, and regular follow-up."
The interactive nature of the sessions has also transformed the learning experience for the faculty themselves. With every session, Dr. Karode found himself anticipating the questions participants might ask next. Rather than relying solely on his existing knowledge, he continuously reviewed emerging evidence, updated himself with new research, and refined his understanding. As he shares, "I kept updating my knowledge so that I would be better equipped to answer them." He added, "Participants have asked about semaglutide injections for obesity management and their role in diabetes care, especially now that oral formulations are also available." These discussions around evolving treatment options have motivated him to remain current with the latest evidence, ensuring that every session reflects contemporary clinical practice.
Dr. Karode's journey is a powerful testament to what makes the ECHO Model unique. It is not a traditional training program where knowledge flows in a single direction. Instead, it creates a collaborative learning ecosystem where participants and faculty continuously learn from one another, engage in real-life case-based discussions, and ultimately strengthen clinical practice through dialogue, shared experiences, and evidence-based guidance.
As cardiometabolic syndrome emerges as one of the most significant lifestyle-related health challenges of our time, such continuous, collaborative learning has never been more important. By combining expert mentorship with peer-to-peer learning and a strong focus on evidence-based care and lifestyle modification, the CMS ECHO Program is building a healthcare workforce that is not only better informed, but also better equipped to deliver timely, comprehensive, and patient-centred care.