The Role of Interprofessional Education in Training Healthcare Providers for Integrated Healthcare: A Scoping Review
Background: Longer lifespans and growing chronic conditions are driving necessary change in healthcare systems. There is an increasing shift towards integrated care, to provide person-centred care that is accessible, continuous, and high quality. New models of care require new models of learning �" from a focus on workforce planning for professionals to workforce planning for patients and populations. The World Health Organization acknowledges that preparation of healthcare professionals has not kept pace with these changes. Interprofessional education (IPE) and training that includes partnering with patients, providers, and communities are identified as key solutions. However, understanding how IPE supports workforce development for integrated care remains unclear.
Aim: This scoping review aims to answer the question: What is the role of IPE in training healthcare professionals to work in integrated care? The objective of this scoping review is to examine the extent of research on IPE involving health professionals working in adult integrated care.
Methods: The Levac framework informed the methodology. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health, and Scholars Portal databases were searched. Study selection and data extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers using a standardized data extraction form. Data were collated, summarized, and reported narratively.
Results
Thirty-two articles were included. The literature reveals there are multiple definitions of integrated care. Preliminary findings indicate that IPE is emphasized as important in preparing a health and social care workforce for integrated care, but few IPE interventions are specifically described. IPE is recognized as supporting collaborative practice and should be incorporated as part of a larger training program for integrated care. Training for integrated care requires new models of continuing IPE at the postgraduate level across all practice sectors. IPE programs that are context/population specific, competency based, and include non-traditional roles such as social workers, patient navigators, community health workers, and other community-based social service workers are recommended. Although the literature emphasizes person-centred care, few studies reported the inclusion of patients and families in IPE or as part of the interprofessional team. Facilitators and barriers for IPE in integrated care will be described. There is a need for more rigorous research designs including longitudinal studies to further understand how IPE supports ongoing workforce development for integrated care.
Conclusions: This scoping review provides a necessary foundation to inform future research. Findings will also inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of new models of IPE for integrated care that support intended patient outcomes.
