Position Statement

Summary

Ausmed Education has been a provider of continuing professional development (CPD) for health professionals for over 35 years. Our core principle is that education is the means to continuously improve the health of the community and contributes to person-centred quality care and services.

The purpose of this position statement is to communicate Ausmed’s values on interprofessional practice and education (IPE).

Definitions

Interprofessional Education (IPE)

'[Interprofessional education] is an approach to teaching and learning that brings together two or more professions to learn about, from, and with each other in service of enabling effective collaboration.

The goal is to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes.'

Interprofessional Practice and Education

The phrase 'interprofessional practice and education' builds on IPE and is recognised as a way to create a shared link between interprofessional education, interprofessional practice and collaborative practice

Background

Healthcare leaders embrace the importance of implementing collaborative care models, beginning with students and extending to professional clinical and learning environments. This shift is essential to enhance healthcare quality and reduce expenses across various sectors and professions. Well-performing collaborative teams have the potential to enhance healthcare experiences, outcomes and cost-efficiency.

However, there are still multiple barriers to the acceptance and development of interprofessional collaboration. These include professional silos, imbalance of power and little common interpersonal ground.

Ausmed Education’s position on Interprofessional Continuing Education.

Providing patient-centred care requires a collaborative effort from health professionals, patients and families, under a shared decision-making framework to meet their health needs.

Healthcare is most effectively provided by a group of health professionals working collaboratively rather than by individual practitioners alone.

Interprofessional continuing education in healthcare is a means for improving interprofessional collaborative practice and can positively improve and ensure more effective care experiences for the community.

Interprofessional collaborative practice and shared decision-making are more than ever essential to the effective function of healthcare and outcomes for the community.

In support of its position, Ausmed Education:

Provides, where possible, evidence-based and relevant interprofessional continuing education programs.

Plans, implements and evaluates educational activities by bringing together the expertise and shared knowledge of an interprofessional planning committee.

Commits to fostering interprofessional collaboration in healthcare through the development of products, education and services that allow individual health professionals to learn from, with and about each other.

References:

van Diggele, C, Roberts, C, Burgess, A et al 2020, ‘Interprofessional Education: Tips for Design and Implementation’, BMC Med Educ., vol. 20, no. 455, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02286-z

National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education 2023, About Interprofessional Practice and Education, National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, https://nexusipe.org/informing/about-ipe

Gum, L, Sweet, L, Grennhill, J, Prideaux, D 2020, ‘Exploring Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice in Australian Rural Health Services’, Journal of Interprofessional Care, vol. 34, no. 2, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13561820.2019.1645648

Ausmed Education Pty Ltd 2024