Training the primary care team--a successful interprofessional education initiative.

BACKGROUND

A multidisciplinary approach to the education of health professionals is being increasingly promoted as a means to cultivate collaborative practice between professions in the health care sector and to enhance patient care.

METHOD

One hundred and two students from seven different University of Queensland Health Science disciplines completed between one and three interprofessional seminars involving small group work, case discussion, expert panel presentation, and interactive question and answers.

RESULTS

Paired sample T testing indicated significant differences in pre- and post-responses related to knowledge of effective clinical management, multidisciplinary assessment, goal setting, roles and responsibilities, and referral networks across all disciplines. Similar testing also indicated significant shifts in attitude to increased job satisfaction, reduced fragmentation of care, and reduction in professional boundaries related to multidisciplinary care. Ninety-six percent of participants indicated that the benefit of a team approach was effectively modelled.

DISCUSSION

Undergraduate interprofessional education can result in highly significant shifts in knowledge of, and attitudes to, multidisciplinary team care.