Strengthening Endometriosis Care Through Tailored Education: The Development and Launch of CanSAGE’s Endometriosis Care Education Program (ECEP)
About the ECEP
The Development and Launch of CanSAGE’s Endometriosis Care Education Program (ECEP) is a project funded by the Health Canada Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund. The goal of the CanSAGE ECEP project is to develop and distribute educational resources to build awareness, knowledge and clinical skills on endometriosis diagnosis, imaging and management among physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, and imaging specialists. The Endometriosis Care Education Program (ECEP) is structured around three core pillars, each targeting different healthcare audiences.
About Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic and often debilitating disease that affects approximately one in ten individuals, impacting almost two million Canadians. Those affected endure debilitating symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain, menstrual pain, impaired bowel, renal, and thoracic function, and infertility. Despite its prevalence, many gaps remain in understanding and treating endometriosis, as it remains frequently underdiagnosed and inconsistently managed. The Health Canada-funded ECEP directly addresses these critical gaps by prioritizing comprehensive education for the clinicians.
Clinical Diagnosis & Management
ECEP Pillar 1 is focused on raising awareness and educating healthcare professionals on the clinical diagnosis and medical management of endometriosis. Tailored for primary care providers, emergency medicine physicians, and general gynaecologists, this pillar builds foundational understanding and equips these first-contact clinicians with essential diagnostic and management tools. Additionally, primary and emergency physicians can participate in mini-fellowships to train with endometriosis care experts. Live virtual EndoECHO events will also be held nationally, offering expert diagnosis and surgical advice for endometriosis.
Diagnostic Imaging
ECEP Pillar 2 focused on the development of a CME-accredited educational course on advanced imaging techniques for endometriosis through ultrasound. This program will equip imaging specialists with advanced skills to improve disease recognition and diagnostic accuracy. These courses will integrate didactic, interactive, and hands-on learning strategies to teach advanced imaging techniques for endometriosis diagnosis. Dedicated Champions from across Canada will become a source of expertise and knowledge in imaging for their colleagues, to help ensure that high-quality diagnostic imaging is accessible to more people living with endometriosis across the country.
Surgical Management
ECEP Pillar 3 is focused on EndoSurg, an expanded national CME accredited mentorship program on endometriosis care for surgeons. The EndoSurg course offers comprehensive training, including a day of expert-led lectures covering the entire patient care cycle, a lab session with hands-on practice using laparoscopic box trainers and tissue models, and paired mentorship from a MIGS-trained expert.
Upcoming Events
EndoSURG Québec City 2026
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