Project ECHO launches PA Death Certification learning series

On May 7, 2021, Gov. Tom Wolf signed the 14th renewal of the January 2018 opioid disaster declaration to help the state fight the opioid epidemic, which continues to be a public health emergency contributing to Pennsylvania deaths. County coroner and medical examiner offices across the state provide vital statistics on causes of mortality to local, state and federal reporting systems. These statistics have become a vital tool for understanding drug related deaths as Pennsylvania addresses the opioid epidemic.

Project ECHO at Penn State College of Medicine, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Health Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, launched a PA Death Certification Peer Learning Network series in June 2021 in response to the continued opioid crisis. This series connects coroners, medical examiners and death certifiers across Pennsylvania to create a peer community learning network around death certification within their communities and the larger system of which they are a critical part.

Twenty-four death certifiers across 14 counties registered to participate in this program, which covers topics such as the death reporting process, use of drug delivery resulting in death and public health tools that benefit coroners.

“There is tremendous value in connecting Pennsylvania death certifiers to discuss best practices and challenges through a platform like Project ECHO, specifically those located in rural counties who may experience professional isolation,” said Dr. Jennifer Kraschnewski, Director of Project ECHO at Penn State College of Medicine.

This series marks the continuation of Project ECHO’s commitment to combat the opioid epidemic. Since 2018, the Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) ECHO series has been offered to health care providers across Pennsylvania, reaching eight health systems and 94 clinics. In 2020, the Supporting Employers, Supporting Employees in Recovery ECHO launched, providing employers with the knowledge, resources and best practices to support employees in recovery. This year, Project ECHO also introduced an Addiction Medicine Fellowship ECHO. Additionally, in partnership with Penn State Harrisburg, the ECHO team will be developing a substance use disorder (SUD) stigma reduction series for healthcare professionals in 2022.

Learn more about Project ECHO and current and future series

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