Key Strategies for Sustaining an Interprofessional Continuing Education Program.

Abstract

Interprofessional teamwork is critical for effective care of patients in the current healthcare environment. Continuing Education providers are best positioned to teach healthcare professionals about interprofessional teamwork and the need to shift their programs from single-profession-based to interprofessional-based continuing education. Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education incentivises continuing education providers to plan and deliver education "by the team, for the team" with the goal of improving healthcare outcomes through integrated learning. This brief report assesses a single, large academic medical centre's sustainment and growth of interprofessional continuing education after implementing Joint Accreditation. Here, we share relevant data and program reviews for a four-year period after shifting from a continuing education to an interprofessional continuing education program and discuss the numerous practical strategies that can help education programs prepare for and sustain interprofessional goals to ensure teamwork advances and support better delivery of care. Our analyses support that interprofessional continuing education can be advanced and sustained through effective, regular program reviews that systematically reflect on interprofessional continuing education activity data and stimulate ongoing prioritisation. Key strategies that we believe contributed to our success include integrating interprofessional continuing education in an organisation's culture by maintaining its strategic priority and visibility among organisation leaders and stakeholders, adaptation of planning processes and education design, and utilising technology. Implementing some or all of these strategies may help other continuing education providers implement and sustain interprofessional continuing education programs.