• Alicia Kowalski, Aimee Anderson, Aline Rozman deMoraes, Joseph Chen, Diane Liu, Jay Parikh, and Eduardo Bruera.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
• J Palliat Med. 2024 Oct 1; 27 (10): 137413781374-1378.

AbstractBackground: We planned a pilot study on a physician engagement intervention, termed ECHO-MDA, using the Project ECHO framework. The study was approved and launched just as the COVID pandemic reached Texas. We pivoted to accommodate the realities of research in pandemic times. Objectives: The primary outcome was feasibility assessed by the proportion of participants attending at least 9 out of 13 ECHO-MDA sessions. Design: The study was envisioned as a randomized, wait-list pilot study exploring the impact ECHO-MDA with a planned enrollment of 50 physicians (25 per arm). Results: Due to pandemic-related challenges, 35 physicians were enrolled. Ten attended nine or more sessions. Participants indicated that the program was beneficial. Conclusion: Pandemic-related work and personal conditions likely had adverse impacts on enrollment and attendance. Launching professional wellness programs during a global crisis is challenging but can still yield benefits for participants. We offer suggestions for researchers launching professional engagement studies in unexpectedly challenging times.

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