Center on Health Disparities, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
Med Educ Online. 2013 Mar 26;18:1-3. doi: 10.3402/meo.v18i0.20644.
Healthcare in the United States (US) is burdened with enormous healthcare disparities associated with a variety of factors including insurance status, income, and race. Highly vulnerable populations, classified as those with complex medical problems and/or social needs, are one of the fastest growing segments within the US. Over a decade ago, the US Surgeon General publically challenged the nation to realize the importance of oral health and its relationship to general health and well-being, yet oral health disparities continue to plague the US healthcare system. Interprofessional education and teamwork has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and provide benefits to participating health professionals. We propose the implementation of interprofessional education and teamwork as a solution to meet the increasing oral and systemic healthcare demands of highly vulnerable US populations.
美国的医疗保健存在着巨大的差异，这与保险状况、收入和种族等多种因素有关。高度脆弱的人群，被定义为那些有复杂的医疗问题和/或社会需求的人群，是美国增长最快的人群之一。十多年前，美国外科医生总检察长公开呼吁全国认识到口腔健康的重要性及其与整体健康和福祉的关系，但口腔健康差距仍困扰着美国的医疗保健系统。跨专业教育和团队合作已被证明可以改善患者的治疗效果，并为参与的医疗专业人员带来益处。我们建议实施跨专业教育和团队合作，以满足美国高度脆弱人群日益增长的口腔和全身医疗保健需求。
