Clinicians' Core Needs in a Pandemic: Qualitative Findings From the Chat Box in a Statewide COVID-19 ECHO Program

A statewide COVID-19 ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) program designed as a telementoring education model for clinicians in Oregon was adapted for a large audience. Chat box-mediated communication was assessed to gauge how interactivity identified and mitigated clinicians' needs during the pandemic. Chat box transcripts from 11 sessions were qualitatively analyzed, with the number of per-session participants averaging 492. Participants asked 1,462 questions and made 819 comments that covered the core themes regarding clinicians' needs in the early stages of the pandemic. Those themes focused on seeking answers and trustworthy information, looking for practical resources and seeking and delivering affirmation and peer support. Analysis verified that primary care clinicians, the first point of contact in the healthcare system for most Americans, often felt they were on their own in finding answers. Participants supported a virtual community in the chat box that upheld many of their needs. "Telementoring programs that provide opportunities for robust participant interactions—with their ability to both disseminate evidence-based information quickly and provide peer-to-peer support—should continue to play an integral role in responding to health crises in the future," the authors contend. They also advise evaluators and researchers to weigh chat box data's potential to recognize healthcare learners' evolving needs in future ECHO programs.

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