#DPTSTUDENT TOPIC FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013: INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND COLLABORATION

Last week, when we discussed the new proposed APTA vision we discussed several of the vision elements included within it. We briefly touched on interprofessional education and collaboration. The element of collaboration is written as follows in the new vision statement:

Collaboration: The physical therapy profession will demonstrate the value of collaboration with other health care providers, consumers, community organizations, and other disciplines to solve the health‐related challenges that society faces. Education models will value and foster interprofessional approaches to best meet consumer and population needs and instill team values in physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. In clinical practice, physical therapists, who collaborate across the continuum of care, will ensure that services are coordinated, of value, and consumer centered by referring, co‐managing, engaging consultants, and directing and supervising care. Interprofessional research approaches will ensure that evidence translates to practice and is consumer‐centered.

Are we as students given enough of an opportunity to learn about other health professions in order to foster great interprofessional collaboration once we are out in the working world? Do you think it is important that we learn the basics of what other practitioners do as well as educate them on our role as physical therapists? Let’s talk about it!

 CHAT UPDATE

Click here for analytics and transcript.