A new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) examines the methods needed to measure the impact that interprofessional education (IPE) has on collaborative practice and health and system outcomes. The value of IPE—which occurs when learners of two or more health and/or social care professions engage in learning with, from, and about each other to improve collaboration and the delivery of care—has been embraced worldwide, but many in leadership positions have questioned how IPE affects patient, population, and health system outcomes. This question cannot be fully answered without well-designed studies, and these studies cannot be conducted without an understanding of the methods and measurements needed to conduct such an analysis.
The IOM report recommends actions that interprofessional stakeholders, funders, policy makers, health profession educators, and academic and health system leaders can take to better measure the impact of IPE on collaborative practice and health and system outcomes. The committee also puts forth a conceptual model for evaluating IPE that could be adapted to particular settings in which it is applied.
Questions? Contact IHPEGlobalForum@nas.edu for more information.