Strategies for Sustaining IPE Programs and Initiatives: Accelerating Nexus Programs

Presented by: 

Teri Kennedy, PhD, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, FNAP
Director, Office of Gerontological & Interprofessional Initiatives,
School of Social Work & Faculty Lead: Clinical Partnerships,
Center for Advancing Interprofessional Practice, Education & Research (CAIPER),
College of Nursing & Health Innovation
Arizona State University

Ideally, sustainability should accompany program implementation, but in reality it is often addressed well after an interprofessional program or initiative is underway. If programs and organizations had a practical model for sustainability, it would serve as an integral tool in concert with strategic planning efforts related to interprofessional practice and education initiatives. This webinar will present a model of sustainability developed through a study of Geriatric Education Centers. Four conceptions of sustainability emerged from this study:

1) maintenance of mission and activities 
2) institutionalization of organizational infrastructure
3) community visibility
4) strategic response to change 

This model has since been applied to interprofessional practice and education, and age-friendly initiatives, and used as a tool to support strategic planning for interprofessional university/community initiatives, a new interprofessional academic center, and a statewide interprofessional geriatrics society. Examples will be drawn from current interprofessional practice and education initiatives.

After this presentation, the participants will be able to:

1) Define four approaches to sustainability
2) Identify factors that foster and hinder sustainability
3) Apply a sustainability model to an interprofessional practice and education initiative

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