Interprofessional Education for Interprofessional Practice: Will Future Health Care Providers Embrace Collaboration as One Answer to Improved Quality of Care?

Lesley Bainbridge

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional education is an emerging theme in the education of health care professionals in response to issues such as patient safety and workforce shortages. Future health care providers must learn how to collaborate effectively with other professionals to reduce errors and improve recruitment and retention. Health care in Canada is changing in an attempt to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, and interprofessional practice is now a priority. While barriers to interprofessional education do exist, there is a growing body of knowledge that supports interprofessional collaboration as best practice. More research is required, but there is enough evidence to suggest that interprofessional education is a current imperative.

Full text (PDF, 564KB)

Bainbridge L. Interprofessional Education for Interprofessional Practice: Will Future Health Care Providers Embrace Collaboration as One Answer to Improved Quality of Care? UBCMJ. 2010 2(1):9-10.