What is Project ECHO Diabetes?
Project ECHO Diabetes uses the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) ModelTM to empower primary care providers (PCPs) managing adult and pediatric patients living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) or Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) who lack access to routine specialty care in underserved communities. This outreach model addresses the needs of vulnerable populations by equipping community PCPs with the knowledge to deliver high-quality diabetes care and the opportunity to receive real-time specialty support in making complex diabetes-related medical decisions. Project ECHO Diabetes partners with PCPs and Federally Qualified Health Care Centers (FQHCs) to evaluate the impact and outcomes of the education and outreach model.
Project ECHO Diabetes is currently being funded by grants from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the State of Florida, the Florida Department of Health Office of Rural Health, and Google.
How Does Project ECHO Diabetes Work?
How Can I get Involved?
If you are a primary care provider and would like to participate in the program, contact Dr. Ashby Walker at afwalker@ufl.edu or Dr. Michael Haller at hallemj@peds.ufl.edu.
ECHO Locations
Meet the ECHO Diabetes Hub Team
ECHO Diabetes: PI & Project Director
Dr. Ashby Walker
Director of Community and Population Health, UF Diabetes Institute, Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy
Have a question about ECHO diabetes for your center? Contact Dr. Ashby Walker by phone or email.
352-273-8278
ECHO Diabetes: Medical Director
Dr. Michael Haller
Professor and Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology
Have a real-time question about adult and pediatric patients with T1D and T2D? Contact Dr. Haller by phone or email.
352-265-7337
Echo clinical RESEARCH coordinator II
Gabby Malden
Have questions about joining TELE-ECHO sessions or about CME? Contact Gabby Malden by email.
ECHO OPERATIONS MANAGER
Hannah Lester, MPH
Have questions about Diabetes Support Coaches or community partnerships? Contact Hannah Lester by phone or email.
352-273-6167
RESEARCH COORDINATOR I
Madison Berry
Have questions about ECHO research? Contact Madison Berry by email.
ECHO PHD FELLOW
Sofia I. Wilson, MPH
Have questions about ECHO research? Contact Sofia I. Wilson by email.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Tyler Jordan-Black
Have a real-time question about adult care for T2D patients? Contact Tyler by phone or email.
303-908-7216
Pharmacy Specialist
Dr. Angelina Vascimini
Have a pharmacy-related question? Contact Dr. Vascimini by phone or email.
352-273-6224
Adult Endocrinologist
Dr. Juan M. Munoz Pena
Have a real-time question about adult patients with T2D? Contact Dr. Pena by email.
Registered Dietician
Hannah Stahmer
Have a real-time question about nutrition education? Contact Hannah Stahmer by phone or email.
352-392-1161
ECHO Diabetes: Clinical Health Psychologist
Dr. Sarah Westen
Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Health Psychology
Have a question about behavioral health needs for your patients? Contact Dr. Westen by phone or email.
352-273-9113
Adult Endocrinologist
Dr. Wm Troy Donahoo
Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
Have a real-time question about adult care for T2D patients? Contact Dr. Donahoo by phone or email.
303-908-7216
Adult Endocrinologist
Dr. Anu Sharma
Have a real-time question about adult patients with T2D? Contact Dr. Sharma by phone or email.
352-273-8655
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Zach Cooper, MSW
Have questions for a social worker?
Contact Zach Cooper by phone or email.
706-414-6278
DIABETES SUPPORT COACH-MIAMI
Christian Iglesias
Have questions for a diabetes peer mentor? Contact Christian Iglesias by phone or email.
352-273-1229
Check out our 6-month Curriculum
UF Diabetes Institute: Expanding care and education through Project ECHO
Play Video
Publications
· Maizel J, Haller MJ, Maahs DM, et al. Peer Mentoring Improves Diabetes Technology Use and Reduces Diabetes Distress Among Underserved Communities: Outcomes of a Pilot Diabetes Support Coach Intervention. J Diabetes Res. 2025;2025:1970247. Published 2025 Jul 9. doi:10.1155/jdr/1970247
· Hammarlund N, Jo A, Walker AF, et al. Evaluating the Economic Impact of Project ECHO Diabetes: Cost Savings From HbA1c Reduction in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Endocr Pract. 2025;31(11):1435-1440. doi:10.1016/j.eprac.2025.06.025
· Walker AF, Haller MJ, Addala A, et al. Project ECHO Diabetes Trial Improves Outcomes for Medically Underserved People. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(2):243-250. doi:10.2337/dc24-2100
· Maizel J, Filipp SL, Zori G, et al. Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes Intervention Evaluations: A Scoping Review of Research Methods. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2025;45(2):89-100. doi:10.1097/CEH.0000000000000572
· Maizel JL, Haller MJ, Maahs DM, et al. COVID-19 impacts and inequities among underserved communities with diabetes. J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2024;36:100337. Published 2024 Mar 19. doi:10.1016/j.jcte.2024.100337
· Walker AF, Hu H, Cuttriss N, et al. The Neighborhood Deprivation Index and Provider Geocoding Identify Critical Catchment Areas for Diabetes Outreach. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020;105(9):3069-3075. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa462
· Multisite Quality Improvement Program Within the Project ECHO Diabetes Remote Network [published online ahead of print, 2023 Aug 12]. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2023;S1553-7250(23)00191-5. doi:10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.08.001
· Wang CJ, Lewit EM, Clark CL, et al. Multisite Quality Improvement Program Within the Project ECHO Diabetes Remote Network. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2024;50(1):66-74. doi:10.1016/j.jcjq.2023.08.001
· Addala A, Hechavarria M, Figg L, et al. Recruiting historically under-represented individuals into Project ECHO Diabetes: using barrier analysis to understand disparities in clinical research in the USA. BMJ Open. 2023;13(8):e072546. Published 2023 Aug 30. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072546
· Figg L, Addala A, Jain I, et al. The Promising Success of Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Diabetes: Case Series. JMIR Diabetes. 2023;8:e46050. Published 2023 Aug 3. doi:10.2196/46050
· Walker AF, Graham S, Maple-Brown L, et al. Interventions to address global inequity in diabetes: international progress. Lancet. 2023;402(10397):250-264. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00914-5
· Lewit EM, Figg LE, Addala A, et al. Project ECHO Diabetes Cost Modeling to Support the Replication and Expansion of Tele-mentoring Programs in Non-research Settings. Diabetes Ther. 2023;14(3):509-518. doi:10.1007/s13300-022-01364-3
· Bruggeman BS, Walker AF, Peters AL, D’Avolio LW, Haller MJ. Blue Circle Health: A Novel Patient-Centered Model of Health Care Delivery for Low-Income Patients
With Type 1 Diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2023;17(4):925-934. doi:10.1177/19322968221149008
· Addala A, Filipp SL, Figg LE, et al. Tele-education model for primary care providers to advance diabetes equity: Findings from Project ECHO Diabetes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:1066521. Published 2022 Dec 16. doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.1066521
· Walker AF, Addala A, Sheehan E, et al. Using Peer Power to Reduce Health Disparities: Implementation of a Diabetes Support Coach Program in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Diabetes Spectr. 2022;35(3):295-303. doi:10.2337/dsi22-0004
· Walker AF, Cuttriss N, Haller MJ, et al. Democratizing type 1 diabetes specialty care in the primary care setting to reduce health disparities: project extension for community healthcare outcomes (ECHO) T1D. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2021;9(1):e002262. doi:10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002262
· Walker AF, Hood KK, Gurka MJ, et al. Barriers to Technology Use and Endocrinology Care for Underserved Communities With Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(7):1480-1490. doi:10.2337/dc20-2753
· Cuttriss N, Bouchonville MF, Maahs DM, Walker AF. Tele-rounds and Case-Based Training: Project ECHO Telementoring Model Applied to Complex Diabetes Care. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2020;67(4):759-772. doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2020.04.017
· Lal RA, Cuttriss N, Haller MJ, et al. Primary Care Providers in California and Florida Report Low Confidence in Providing Type 1 Diabetes Care. Clin Diabetes. 2020;38(2):159-165. doi:10.2337/cd19-0060
ECHO Diabetes at Work
Local Resource Guides
- Gainesville Resource Guide
- Alachua County Food Resources
- Miami Resource Guide
- Miami COVID-19 Resource Guide
- Miami COVID-19 Resource Guide-Spanish
- Naples Resource Guide
- Naples Resource Guide-Spanish
- Tampa Resource Guide
Related Links
- https://ufhealth.org/news/2018/16-million-grant-help-university-florida-researchers-improve-access-type-1-diabetes-care
- https://ufhealth.org/news/2019/uf-health-stanford-get-76-million-grant-expand-diabetes-program
- https://phhp.ufl.edu/2020/09/01/researchers-identify-high-need-areas-for-diabetes-outreach-in-florida-and-california/
- https://ufhealth.org/news/2023/researchers-feature-successful-diabetes-interventions-in-drive-to-end-global-health-disparities
- https://ufhealth.org/news/2024/clinician-training-program-leads-to-better-outcomes-for-patients-with-diabetes
- https://phhp.ufl.edu/2025/07/08/new-grant-expands-education-program-for-diabetes-health-care-providers-nationwide/