New study highlights effectiveness of ECHO model in improving clinician confidence and addressing menopause care gaps
CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 8, 2026)—As millions of women enter menopause each year, gaps in clinician education continue to limit access to effective care. A new study evaluating a menopause-focused educational program for primary care clinicians found that targeted, case-based learning significantly improved provider confidence and identified critical unmet educational needs. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.
Menopause is a universal transition that affects most women and is often accompanied by symptoms that can significantly affect quality of life, including vasomotor symptoms, mood changes, and increased risk for chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Despite its prevalence, many healthcare professionals receive limited formal training in menopause care, contributing to gaps in diagnosis and treatment. To address this challenge, researchers evaluated a menopause education program delivered through Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), a telementoring model designed to expand access to specialty knowledge—particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The study included 54 physicians and advanced-practice clinicians from a range of geographic and practice settings. Participants reported high satisfaction with the program, rating the content as evidence based, relevant, and applicable to real-world clinical scenarios. Notably, clinician confidence in managing menopause-related care significantly improved after participation, with scores increasing across all measured competencies.
In addition to improved confidence, the study identified several key areas in which clinicians expressed a need for deeper education, including breast health, sexual dysfunction, weight management, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Participants also reported anticipated changes in clinical practice, such as increased comfort initiating treatment, reduced reliance on specialist referrals, and greater use of evidence-based tools to guide care decisions. Researchers also noted strong participant engagement and enthusiasm for learning, with clinicians describing the program as collaborative, professionally rewarding, and intellectually stimulating.
Based on these findings, researchers concluded that although foundational menopause education is highly relevant, more advanced and comprehensive training is needed to reflect the complexity of patient care in real-world settings. The ECHO model offers a scalable and effective approach to closing these knowledge gaps and improving access to menopause care across diverse healthcare settings.
Study results are published in the article “Tailoring menopause education to the needs of primary care clinicians: the Oregon menopause ECHO experience.”
“This study highlights how effective structured educational programs can be in closing the gaps in menopause education. The Menopause Society is committed to and already working toward significantly expanding our educational initiatives to provide clinicians with the tools they need to provide evidence-based care to midlife women,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.
For more information about menopause and healthy aging, visit www.menopause.org.
The Menopause Society is dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals and providing them with the tools and resources to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond. As the leading authority on menopause since 1989, the nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization serves as the independent, evidence-based resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, the media, and the public and leads the conversation about improving women’s health and healthcare experiences. To learn more, visit menopause.org.
Contact:
The Menopause Society
Ella Adams (eadams@fallsandco.com)
Phone: (216) 696-0229