Preparing for the Trend of Aging in Place: Identifying Interprofessional Competencies for Integrated Care Professionals

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify interprofessional competencies for the integrated community care of older people.Methods: This study used a methodological approach, and the specific process aimed to identify the components of interprofessional competencies for integrated community care using a scoping review and validating the identified competencies with the Delphi method. The scoping review first identified relevant studies through the following electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. We then selected studies that met the inclusion criteria and analyzed their results to identify a draft version of the competencies. Expert panels validated the list of competencies through two rounds of the Delphi survey.Results: The two rounds of the Delphi survey revealed consensus. Finally, we developed an interprofessional competency for integrated community care comprising 19 interprofessional core competencies, 20 integrated core care competencies for community care administrators, 13 integrated core care competencies for care coordinators, 13 integrated core care competencies for local service providers, and 12 integrated core care competencies for community health leaders.Conclusion: This study can help inform job descriptions, evaluate the relevant professionals’ performance, and develop a competency-based curriculum for better practice.