What is interprofessional education?
"Interprofessional education occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. Once students understand how to work interprofessionally, they are ready to enter the workplace as a member of the collaborative practice team. This is a key step in moving health systems from fragmentation to a position of strength.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO). (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization.
| TABLE 1. Consensus terminology in the published literature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term | Definition | Organization |
| Interprofessional Education | "When students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes." | WHO* |
| Interprofessional Collaborative Practice | "When multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, careers**, and communities to deliver the highest quality of care." | WHO* |
| Interprofessional Teamwork | "The levels of cooperation, coordination and collaboration characterizing the relationships between professions in delivering patient-centered care." | IPEC*** |
| Interprofessional Team-Based Care | "Care delivered by intentionally created, usually relatively small work groups in health care who are recognized by others as well as by themselves as having a collective identity and shared responsibility for a patient or group of patients (e.g., rapid response team, palliative care team, primary care team, and operating room team)." | IPEC*** |
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* World Health Organization (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Retrieved January 8, 2019, from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf ** The term "caregivers" is more commonly used in the United States. *** Interprofessional Education Collaborative (2016). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: 2016 update. Retrieved January 8, 2019, from https://nebula.wsimg.com/2168a39520b03336b41038c370497473?AccessKeyId=D…. |
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Duke University has a strong tradition of excellence in clinical care that has included a commitment to health professions education. As part of the Chancellor's Strategic Planning process a detailed plan for establishing a Center for Interprofessional Education and Care (IPEC) at Duke was developed. The Center officially opened in July 2019.
The Duke Health Center for Interprofessional Education and Care (IPEC) promotes the development of health professions programs across programs and the health system that are committed to the transformation of the culture of care to one that is collaborative and team-based.