University-Community Relationships in the Development of a Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training Certificate

Abstract

In this article, the authors take a systematic look at transaction costs and barriers to a university-community partnership during the design and implementation of a Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training Certificate. The development of the authors’ university-community partnership was fueled by a funding source that enabled the Virginia Geriatric Education Center to work with three large health care systems. The purpose of the grant was to develop a geriatric interdisciplinary team curriculum for community-based health care professionals. The interdisciplinary planning committee, consisting of both university-based educators and community-based practitioners, designed a 50-hour curriculum that covered diverse clinical topics with an interactive format. In the process, the authors identified within-site, across-site, and between-partner barriers that need to be addressed for successful implementation.