Per the World Health Organization “Collaborative practice happens when multiple health care workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, care givers and communities to deliver the highest quality of care across settings”.5 For instance, the collaboration of the pharmacist as part of the interprofessional healthcare team to promote and optimize pharmaceutical care, can result in improvement of the quality of care for the patient.3
Interprofessional collaboration can also help benefit educational objectives of healthcare professionals. The pharmacy curriculum prepares all pharmacy students to provide entry-level, patient centered care in a variety of practice settings as a contributing member of an interprofessional team.2 The pharmacy student has the opportunity to learn and practice interprofessional team dynamics in the didactic and Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) components of the curriculum, as well as demonstrate competency in the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) practice settings.2
What are the benefits of interprofessional collaboration? 1,3,4,5
- Improve patient care and outcomes
- Increase efficiency and reduce healthcare costs
- Improve patient safety
- Enhance healthcare professional job satisfaction with mutual trust and respect in interprofessional relationships
References
- Peek GK , Campbell U. Interdisciplinary relationship dynamics. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2020;77 (6), pages 424-426. DOI 10.1093/ajhp/zxz353
- Accreditation standards and key elements for the professional program in pharmacy leading to the doctor of pharmacy degree standards 2016
- Bridges D.R., Richard A. Davidson R.A., Odegard PG, Maki I.V. & Tomkowiak J. Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education. Medical Education Online. 2011; 16:1, DOI: 10.3402/meo.v16i0.6035
- Angelini, D. J. Interdisciplinary and interprofessional education: what are the key issues and considerations for the future? Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing. 2011; 25 (2), 175-179. doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e318212ee7a. PMID: 21540696
- World Health Organization. (2010) Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO
*This blog is part one of a three-part blog series on interprofessional collaboration.