Web Conferences Link Rural Doctors

By Nicole Wallace

The scarcity of nearby medical specialists, inadequate insurance, and the time and expense required to travel to Albuquerque or Santa Fe makes it difficult for many people in rural New Mexico to get treatment for complex, chronic diseases. But a university program is trying to bridge the distance with technology.

Project ECHO — which stands for Extension for Community Health Outcomes — uses secure, Web-based videoconferencing to link doctors, nurse