Practice

The purpose of interprofessional education is to prepare health professions students for interprofessional practice by teaching collaborative practice competencies within the context of interprofessional teams.

Research shows that effective health care teams are a factor in improved patient safety, quality, and patient-centered care. Effective teamwork can help accomplish the Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Triple Aim – improving patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reduction of per capita cost of health care.

Traditionally, health care professions have historically trained in “silos” with little emphasis on team dynamics. The collaborative practice competencies – defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) as communication, roles and responsibilities, team work, and ethics and values–must be integrated into health professions curriculum through both didactic and experiential learning. IPE educational and practice experiences have become a part of the curriculum and are weaved into classes because of the commitment of TCU faculty to ensure that students are given an advantage as they prepare for work in their chosen careers.