ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Biosafety Program
The Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Biosafety Program addresses challenges in clinical and public health laboratories through the development of a community of practice (CoP). This project is an adaptation of the clinician-based ECHO Model™, developed by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. The ECHO Model™ invites peers to engage in a virtual environment on a frequent, regular basis where they share support, guidance, and feedback. The goal of this project is to use the ECHO Model to improve biosafety in clinical and public health laboratories by increasing the knowledge and skills of the biosafety CoP members to address previously identified biosafety gaps. The objectives of this project are to:
- Discuss biosafety challenges among clinical and public health laboratory professionals
- Foster collaborations and sharing of laboratory biosafety expertise
- Promote the application of best biosafety practices and advance the culture and practice of laboratory safety
The ECHO Biosafety sessions are 60-90 minutes each and occur every month. The CoP members convening at the sessions will share best practices, tools, and resources to address biosafety gaps in clinical and public health laboratories.
For questions, contact DLSbiosafety@cdc.gov.
Connect virtually by Zoom to attend the ECHO Biosafety sessions: https://cdc.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdO6uqTgpHCSf2XEJ28Y829jQtvKgWj4
2024 ECHO Biosafety Sessions
Month
Month
Area of Discussion
Area of Discussion
Speakers
Speakers
January 30, 12:00 PM ET
January 30, 12:00 PM ET
Laboratory Biorisk Management: What It Is and How to Improve It
Laboratory Biorisk Management: What It Is and How to Improve It
Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, JM, RBP (ABSA)
Emory University
Kalpana Rengarajan, PhD, MPH, JM, RBP (ABSA)
Emory University
February 27, 12:00 PM ET
February 27, 12:00 PM ET
A Stepwise Process to Improve Biorisk Management Systems
A Stepwise Process to Improve Biorisk Management Systems
Eric Cook, MPH, CBSP
Sandia National Laboratories
Eric Cook, MPH, CBSP
Sandia National Laboratories
March 26, 12:00 PM ET
March 26, 12:00 PM ET
Leadership: Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities
Leadership: Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities
Joseph P. Kozlovac, MS, RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
United States Department of Agriculture
Joseph P. Kozlovac, MS, RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
United States Department of Agriculture
April 30, 12:00 PM ET
April 30, 12:00 PM ET
Planning: Developing and Achieving Biorisk Management Objectives
Planning: Developing and Achieving Biorisk Management Objectives
Michael Stevenson, PhD
New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories
Michael Stevenson, PhD
New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories
May 30, 12:00 PM ET
May 30, 12:00 PM ET
Support: Resources, Competence, and Awareness
Support: Resources, Competence, and Awareness
William Pinard, MS, BRM/BSEC (IFBA)
Sandia National Laboratories
William Pinard, MS, BRM/BSEC (IFBA)
Sandia National Laboratories
June 25, 12:00 PM ET
June 25, 12:00 PM ET
Support: Communication and Documented Information
Support: Communication and Documented Information
Marian Downing RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
Domenica Zimmerman
Biosafety Consultants
Marian Downing RBP, CBSP, SM(NRCM)
Domenica Zimmerman
Biosafety Consultants
July 30, 12:00 PM ET
July 30, 12:00 PM ET
Support: Personal Security and Control of Suppliers
Support: Personal Security and Control of Suppliers
To be determined
To be determined
August 27, 12:00 PM ET
August 27, 12:00 PM ET
Operations: Planning and Maintaining
Operations: Planning and Maintaining
To be determined
To be determined
September 24, 12:00 PM ET
September 24, 12:00 PM ET
Operations: Emergency Response
Operations: Emergency Response
To be determined
To be determined
October 22, 12:00 PM ET
October 22, 12:00 PM ET
Operations: Contingency Plan
Operations: Contingency Plan
To be determined
To be determined
November 19, 12:00 PM ET
November 19, 12:00 PM ET
Biorisk Management Performance Evaluation
Biorisk Management Performance Evaluation
To be determined
To be determined
December 17, 12:00 PM ET
December 17, 12:00 PM ET
Biorisk Management Continual Improvement
Biorisk Management Continual Improvement
To be determined
To be determined
2023 ECHO Biosafety Sessions
Month
Month
Area of Discussion
Area of Discussion
Speakers
Speakers
January 31, 12:00 PM ET
January 31, 12:00 PM ET
Public Health Laboratory Professional Burnout and Effect on Safety
Public Health Laboratory Professional Burnout and Effect on Safety
Anthony Tran, DrPH, MPH, D(ABMM)
California Department of Public Health
Anthony Tran, DrPH, MPH, D(ABMM)
California Department of Public Health
February 28, 12:00 PM ET
February 28, 12:00 PM ET
Risk Assessment in Clinical Laboratories
Risk Assessment in Clinical Laboratories
Crystal Fortune, MPH, MLS (ASCP)CM RBP (ABSA)
Montana Laboratory Services Bureau
Crystal Fortune, MPH, MLS (ASCP)CM RBP (ABSA)
Montana Laboratory Services Bureau
March 22, 12:00 PM ET
March 22, 12:00 PM ET
Safely Implementing New Diagnostics Platforms Commonly Used in Clinical Laboratories
Safely Implementing New Diagnostics Platforms Commonly Used in Clinical Laboratories
Christina Egan, PhD
Michael J. Perry, MS, MS Ed.
New York State Department of Health
Christina Egan, PhD
Michael J. Perry, MS, MS Ed.
New York State Department of Health
April 25, 12:00 PM ET
April 25, 12:00 PM ET
Decontamination of Laboratory Equipment
Decontamination of Laboratory Equipment
Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH
School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Aurora Le, PhD, MPH, CPH, CSP
School of Public Health, University of Michigan
Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH
School of Public Health, Texas A&M University
Aurora Le, PhD, MPH, CPH, CSP
School of Public Health, University of Michigan
May 30, 12:00 PM ET
May 30, 12:00 PM ET
PPE Use (What, Who, Why, When, and How)
PPE Use (What, Who, Why, When, and How)
Peter C. Iwen, PhD, D(ABMM), F(AAM)
Nebraska Public Health Laboratory University Nebraska Medical Center
Peter C. Iwen, PhD, D(ABMM), F(AAM)
Nebraska Public Health Laboratory University Nebraska Medical Center
June 27, 12:00 PM ET
June 27, 12:00 PM ET
Laboratory Acquired Infections
Laboratory Acquired Infections
Sheldon Campbell, MD, PhD
David Peaper, PhD
Yale University School of Medicine
Sheldon Campbell, MD, PhD
David Peaper, PhD
Yale University School of Medicine
July 18, 12:00 PM ET
July 18, 12:00 PM ET
Biosafety Challenges in Alaska
Biosafety Challenges in Alaska
John Laurance
Alaska State Public Health Laboratories
John Laurance
Alaska State Public Health Laboratories
August 29, 12:00 PM ET
August 29, 12:00 PM ET
Safety Challenges with Specimen Collection, Transport, Accessioning, and Storage
Safety Challenges with Specimen Collection, Transport, Accessioning, and Storage
Joey Stringer
Kayle Cirrincione
Dallas County Health and Human Services
Joey Stringer
Kayle Cirrincione
Dallas County Health and Human Services
September 26, 12:00 PM ET
September 26, 12:00 PM ET
Medical Waste Management
Medical Waste Management
Nikki Parrish, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Nikki Parrish, PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
October 31, 12:00 PM ET
October 31, 12:00 PM ET
Quality in Biosafety
Quality in Biosafety
Jill J. Power, MS, M(ASCP), CMQ/OE(ASQ)
New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories
Jill J. Power, MS, M(ASCP), CMQ/OE(ASQ)
New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories
November 28, 12:00 PM ET
November 28, 12:00 PM ET
Laboratory Professional Vaccine Compliance and Effect on Safety
Laboratory Professional Vaccine Compliance and Effect on Safety
Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)
State Hygienic Laboratory,
University of Iowa
Michael Pentella, PhD, D(ABMM)
State Hygienic Laboratory,
University of Iowa
Find archived content from the ECHO sessions on diagnostic excellence piloted by the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) in 2020.