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December 2010, Issue 9 |
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Introducing Residents to Interprofessional Collaboration By Danielle Simpson
How do family physician teachers help orient Family Medicine residents to interprofessional collaboration (IPC)? This article looks at three approaches taken by Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) teaching sites. These descriptions are by no means exhaustive of each site’s offerings; much more is done at each site than could be covered here. The intent here is to provide an overview for those who may not have experienced formal IPC orientations themselves or with their residents. At St. Joseph’s Health Centre, first-year residents receive an orientation to all of the Family Health Team’s allied health care professionals: dietician, pharmacist, mental health outreach, patient education specialist, nurse practitioner and social worker. This gives residents the chance to gain an understanding of the contribution that each of these professions can play in the care of their patients. First and second-year residents attend a monthly chart review led by one of the Family Health Team’s allied health care professionals. At that session the leader outlines their role and scope of practice and addresses the case from their perspective. Feedback from the residents has been very positive because the case-based approach helps them understand how interprofessional collaboration can enhance their patient management plans. In the first orientation session, PGY1 residents and HCP learners sit in mixed-professional groups and discuss a case together, each sharing management tips from their own professional perspective. They also have an opportunity to meet staff HCPs from all eight professions, learn about their roles and how to refer patients to them. The second IPC orientation session is held 10 months later with the same group of residents, who are now PGY2, and more advanced HCP learners. The session provides students with a chance to discuss their own cases at a simulated interprofessional case conference. As at St. Joseph’s Hospital, this phased approach allows facilitators to meet the changing IPC learning needs of students as they progress through their training. DFCM faculty have also participated in formalized training. A community family doctor affiliated with Credit Valley Hospital, Dr. Jean Hudson, took a professional development course called Educating Health Professionals for Interprofessional Collaboration (EHPIC) through the Centre for Interprofessional Education at the University of Toronto. The five day course adopts a train-the-trainer model where “emphasis is placed on the transfer of skills and application of learned knowledge, attitudes and skills, to participants’ home institutions.” Dr. Hudson talks about why this workshop is important. “There is the dual benefit of promoting good communication and relationships among health care professionals while also demonstrating the CanMEDS Collaborator role. CanMEDS encourages us engage in interprofessional education and collaborative activities. As we prepare for new learners at the University of Toronto Mississauga Academy, it makes sense to introduce interprofessional education to our teaching site.” Regardless of the approach taken, it is clear that both residents and faculty are benefiting from opportunities to learn about IPC, moving closer to the ultimate goal of improving the quality and comprehensive nature of care received by patients in Ontario, now and for years to come. |
