NEW! Knowledge Synthesis Final Report Now Available
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In recent years, governments and regional health authorities have provided priority funding for research into
interprofessional (IP) solutions in health care. To date, research in this area has developed a number of distinct
foci:
- Interprofessional education (IPE) for collaborative patient-centred care
- Implementation of collaborative practice models, in particular in primary care
- The relationship between collaborative practice and quality work place
This research has enhanced our understanding of the competencies required to work effectively in teams and the challenges of implementing collaborative practice models. It has further demonstrated that collaborative practice is associated with higher patient and provider satisfaction.
Moving from 'why should we' to 'how do we'
However, it is clear that continued inquiry is needed to reveal the ways in which IPE and collaborative practice
contribute to health system reform and impact health human resources (HHR) planning and management, while at the same
time increasing quality of care.
The partners of the newly formed Western Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (WCIHC) are committed
to advancing research on IPE and collaborative practice to demonstrate the impact on patient quality of care as well as
provider and systems outcomes.
