Interprofessional Education: Principles and Application A Framework for Clinical Pharmacy

Abstract

With the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, advancements in health care technology, and growing complexity of health care delivery, the need for coordination and integration of clinical care through a multidisciplinary approach has become essential. To address this issue, the Institute of Medicine has called for a redesign of the health professional education process to provide health care professionals, both in the academic setting and in practice, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment. Such programmatic redesign warrants the implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) across health care disciplines. Pharmacists play a critical role not only in the provision of patient care on multidisciplinary teams but also in the delivery of IPE. National pharmacy organizations have endorsed IPE, and several have articulated specific policies and/or initiatives supporting IPE. However, IPE has not yet been implemented effectively or consistently; moreover, the inability to effectively deliver IPE in the classroom and clinic has been correlated with a decrease in the quality of patient care provided. In addition, the incorporation of interprofessional patient care into daily practice has been compromised by workforce shortages within respective health care fields. This White Paper from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) addresses terminology, levels of evidence, environment‐specific models, assessment methods, funding sources, and other important implications and barriers as they apply to IPE and clinical pharmacy. Current instruments that have been tested and validated in the assessment of IPE are reviewed, including the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale, and the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale. Finally, strategies are suggested that ACCP might pursue to assist in the promotion and implementation of IPE both within and outside the pharmacy profession.