In January, the National Center launched the “community moderator” program, an initiative that gives users of the Resource Exchange and Online Community more opportunities to interact with each other – and recognized leaders in interprofessional practice education (IPE). Each month we’ll feature a different community moderator to help users determine the best contact for specific questions and topics.

For more than 30 years, Elyse Perweiler, MPP, RN, has been involved in IPE within the field of geriatrics, and she continues to be energized and inspired by what happens when we learn and work together.  She currently serves as the director of the New Jersey AHEC Program, is associate director of the New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, and is associate director of the New Jersey Geriatric Education Center.

Elyse is available to help answer your questions about IPE and to make connections between individuals and organizations with similar interests. Learn more about Elyse below!

Q:  How did you get started in interprofessional education and collaborative practice? 
EP: My experience in IPE began decades ago, when I was director of a partial hospitalization program for older adults with mental health diagnoses and multiple chronic diseases/disabilities.  Our staff represented multiple disciplines, including medicine, psychiatry, nursing, social work and recreation therapy. They worked as a team to develop individualized care plans, provide care for patients and support families/caregivers. 

Q:  What inspires you about this work?

EP: Team-based care and collaborative practice is the gold standard of care in geriatrics.  Working in an academic institution committed to geriatrics has encouraged interprofessional collaboration that is supported by a comprehensive geriatrics curriculum and clinical experiences that provide opportunities to work with other members of the health care team.  I continue to be energized and inspired by improvements we can make in the quality of care when we learn and work together—all good reasons for advocating for IPE and collaborative practice. 

Q:  What are your primary areas of interest?
EP: I am interested in the integration of geriatrics into primary care, team-based collaborative practice, quality improvement, competency assessment and practice/clinical outcomes assessment.

Q:  What are some interesting projects you're working on now or have planned for the future?

EP: We are currently involved in a “next steps” grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation that supports interprofessional education in geriatrics. I am also chairing the IPE Task Force for the National Area Health Education Center (NAO) organization, which is working with AHEC programs and centers to build capacity and provide staff with tools to help build experiential learning opportunities in IPE and collaborative practice in community-based settings.

Do you think Elyse could help answer your IPE-related questions?  Visit her National Center profile to view her recent contributions and to send her an email.