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IPE Strategic Plan 2018-2023

A trainee presents her research to an interprofessional group of students.

Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) at UT Southwestern functions as a centralized bridge fornm the schools (medical, health professions, graduate) to integrate and coordinate interprofessiona education and collaborative practice. The office for IPE coordinates activities such as Convergence, as well as enhancing specific IPE missions within each professional academic program (medical, physician assistant, physical therapy, etc.). The Director for IPE will bring together key stakeholders from across the campus (clinical, hospital, health system) in interprofessional practice and education to implement education, practice and innovation in a centralized manner in alignment with the institutional mission and goals.

Vision

UT Southwestern will be a leading innovator for interprofessional collaborative practice.

Mission

Improve health care by advancing interprofessional collaborative practice through innovation and education.

Strategic Directions

The four main strategic directions for Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) at UT Southwestern include:

  1. Promote the advancement of interprofesssional education and collaborative practice
  2. Provide interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education to preceptors who supervise UT Southwestern students
  3. Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education
  4. Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education

Background

Interprofessional students (medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, nutrition, physician assistant, prosthetics-orthotics, rehabilitation counseling, radiation therapy) participate in an innovative interprofessional teamwork activity, a “Riddle Room”, on Diabetes during Convergence Day 2018.

Efforts in interprofessional education have grown at UT Southwestern Medical Center over the past nine years. This growth requires centralized and coordinated interprofessional education activities within UT Southwestern, and in collaboration with other academic institutions. Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) functions as a centralized bridge for the schools (medical,
health professions, graduate) at UT Southwestern to integrate and coordinate interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

IPE coordinates activities such as Convergence, the program established to provide foundations in interprofessional education, as well as enhances specific IPE missions within each professional academic program (medical, physician assistant, physical therapy, etc.). IPE also brings together key stakeholders across the campus (clinical, hospital, health system) in interprofessional practice and education to implement education, practice and innovation in centralized manner in alignment with the institutional mission and goals.

The Quality, Safety and Outcomes Education Office (QSOEO) now houses a central, dedicated office for Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) that will efficiently support IPE developments at an institutional level to meet future requirements. In 2018, Kim Hoggatt Krumwiede, Ph.D., was appointed Director of Interprofessional Practice and Education for UT Southwestern Medical Center.

chart of IPE organization at UTSW: provost, vice provost, OQSOE IPE, IPE steering committee, IPE coordinating council, subcommittees, educational curriculum, research, health care delivery, health system integration

Strategic Planning Process

In 2017, Dr. Hoggatt Krumwiede, Interim Director for IPE, and organized an interprofessional steering committee with members from the academic, clinical, and system arenas at UT Southwestern and launched a strategic planning process. The committee met monthly over the course of a year in to order analyze the state of interprofessional practice and education at UT Southwestern and establish the direction and goals for the IPE for the next five years.

SWOT Analysis for Interprofessional Practice and Education
StrengthsWeaknesses
Administrative Support Organizational complexity
Good foundational IPE Communication
Inter and intra school collaboration Translating basic education to practice
Large clinical practice Concurrent changes - competing priority
Having an office resource dedication to IPE Need more student interaction between schools
Convergence IDEAL Course Culture
Desire to educate Not as many are aware IPE office exists
An interest/focus in/on improvement New venture
Quality and flexible personnel Clinical practice level IPE
UTSW known as innovator Relative lack of support for educational programs
Aligned with organization Mission/Vision Graduate Medical Education IPE
Target Excellence Data and Research
Excellent patient care Inertia
Within a bigger system with resources Common knowledge of IPE
Hospital system where providers interact on some level Students educated in an environment where preceptors are not
Pre-existing IPE system activities Education at UTSW is siloed
UTSW offers education, clinics, hospitals, THR Training largely done in separate silos
Patient centric History of siloed practice patterns
Reputation  
Culture  
Professional practice continuing education for IPE  
OpportunitiesThreats
Provide structure/resources within the institution Silos
Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid duplication of effort Funding
Produce educational program for trainees and faculty Loss of momentum
Research opportunities RVUs (clinical sites)
Many possibilities for formal/curricular & informal/extracurricular interaction/education Will need additional personnel for implementation
Consider new models that build on strengths Varied logistical requirements across professions
Collaborative work with hospital partners Benchmark other IPE programs Buy-in
Research collaborative practice models “Mico” scrutiny
Set standards for IPE Limited protected time for faculty
Centralize support for interprofessional activities & research Not having a critical mass of champions
Address silos Lack of support/buy-in from stakeholders
Become a leader in IPE Inexperience
More IPE integration on clinical rotations Administrative changes (Provost)
Develop innovative IPE/P techniques Risk of failure
Better patient outcomes (care, satisfaction) Changing focus midway through
Improve operational efficiencies Time
Coordinate practice models & education Curricular differences
Institutional resistance Funding/Financial Support
  Failure to get grassroots buy-in
  Lack of structure
  Preset expectation
  Lack of external benchmark - what are other IPEs doing
  Resistance to change/innovation

Goals, and Action Items

The interprofessional steering committee identified four main strategic directions for Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) at UT Southwestern:

  1. Promote the advancement of interprofesssional education and collaborative practice
  2. Provide interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education to preceptors who supervise UT Southwestern students
  3. Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education
  4. Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education
  • Strategic Direction 1 – Promote the advancement of interprofessional education and collaborative practice

    Promote the advancement of interprofessional education and collaborative practice

    Goals

    1. Establish organizational supporting bodies
    2. Provide structure/resources within the institution
    3. Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid effort duplication
    4. Explore possibilities for formal/curricular & informal/extracurricular interaction/education
    5. Benchmark other IPE programs

    Timeline, Goals and Action Items for Strategic Direction 1

    GoalAction Items
    Year 1
    Establish organizational supporting bodies

    Establish Advisory Board that meets quarterly
    Establish subcommittees (Education, Practice, Integration, Research) that meet monthly
    Schedule monthly meeting for IPE Coordinating Council

    Provide structure/resources within the institution

    Establish funding source through OQSOE
    Establish infrastructure within OQSOE

    Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid effort duplication

    Contact educational programs for educational objectives relating to IPE
    Reconciled any duplication between academic programs

    Explore possibilities for formal/curricular & informal/extracurricular interaction/education Contact and work with existing IPE intersections in education and student organizations for existing and potential interprofessional activities
    Benchmark other IPE programs Review IPE strategic plans from other institutions
    1-3 years
    Centralize support for interprofessional activities and research

    Brand office and send out communications and resources to stakeholders
    Build out website for centralized IPE

    >3 Years - long term
    Become a leader in IPE Provide centralized and coordinated support for presentations, publications, and research
  • Strategic Direction 2 – Provide Interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education

    Provide Interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education

    Goals

    1. Continue to produce and support existing faculty development for trainees and faculty
    2. Produce and support new faculty development for trainees, faculty
    3. Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid effort duplication

    Timeline, Goals and Action Items for Strategic Direction 2

    GoalAction Items
    Year 1
    Continue to produce and support existing faculty development for trainees and faculty Produce Convergence facilitator development
    Support IDEAL Interprofessional Symposium for Collaborative Practice
    Support SCAETC faculty development symposium on HIV/AIDS IPE clerkship
    1-3 years
    Produce and support new faculty development for trainees, faculty, and staff Produce module on IPE facilitation for clinical preceptors
    Produce online module for hospital staff on IPE
    Support QEP (TeamFIRST) faculty development
    Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid effort duplication Utilize TracDat system to identify IPE activities and align with academic programs for accreditation requirements
    >3 Years - long term
    Produce and support new faculty development for trainees, faculty, and staff Produce simulation training for preceptors on facilitating interprofessional groups of trainees in clinical settings
    Support QEP faculty development (TeamFIRST) plans and incremental changes
  • Strategic Direction 3 – Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education

    Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education

    Goals

    1. Establish collaborative work with hospital and clinic partners
    2. Consider new models that build on strengths
    3. Set Standards for IPE at UTSW
    4. Identify and stratify areas of collaborative practice on campus according to set standards
    5. Integrate practice models and education
    6. Increase IPE integration on clinical rotations
    7. Increase collaborative practice on campus

    Timeline, Goals and Action Items for Strategic Direction 3

    GoalAction Items
    Year 1
    Establish collaborative work with hospital and clinic partners

    Identify key individuals from hospital and clinics to form collaborative workgroup
    Workgroup meets monthly

    Consider new models that build on strengths

    Identify key strengths of UTSW
    Identify models of collaborative practice

    1-3 years
    Set Standards for IPE at UTSW Identify and define standards for IPE education and practice/application at UTSW
    Identify and stratify areas of collaborative practice on campus according to set standards Review existing hospital units and clinical settings for good examples of collaborative practice that match set standards
    List of hospital units and clinical settings that function as models of collaborative practice at UTSW
    >3 Years - long term
    Integrate practice models and education Coordinate interprofessional educational competencies and objectives to match collaborative practice expectations
    Map competencies and proficiencies used in collaborative practice settings, in order to inform trainee preparedness in educational didactic and clinical environments
    Increase IPE integration on clinical rotations Identify clinical clerkships/rotations that would benefit from IPE integration
    Increase collaborative practice on campus Offer consultation, resources, and support to units and clinics that could benefit from implementing a collaborative
    Develop simulations for training interprofessional teams on collaborative practice competencies
  • Strategic Direction 4 – Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education

    Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education

    Goals

    1. Support faculty and students with innovative ideas for IPE
    2. Research collaborative practice models on and off campus
    3. Develop research opportunities
    4. Develop innovative IPE/P techniques
    5. Improve patient outcomes (care, satisfaction, value)
    6. Improve operational efficiencies and cost and reduce provider burnout

    Timeline, Goals and Action Items for Strategic Direction 4

    GoalAction Items
    Year 1
    Support faculty and students with innovative ideas for IPE

    Work with students to create new Convergence activities

    Research collaborative practice models on and off campus

    Review the literature and observe existing models on campus for innovation in collaborative practice

    1-3 years
    Develop research opportunities Identify current state of operational efficiencies, cost, and provider burnout
    Submit research proposals
    >3 Years - long term
    Develop innovative IPE/P techniques Identify innovative techniques and methods to teach or train the techniques to individuals or teams
    Develop training modules and simulations teaching new IPE/P techniques
    Develop innovative collaborative care models to enhance provider wellness
    Improve patient outcomes (care, satisfaction, value) Identify key data sets for patient outcomes linked to collaborative practice, request permission to have access to data, and conduct data analysis
    Design and implement research with a focus on possible links to collaborative practice and patient outcomes
    Improve operational efficiencies and cost and reduce provider burnout Identify key data sets for operational efficiencies, cost, and provider burnout linked to collaborative practice, request permission to have access to data, and conduct data analysis
    Design and implement QA&I research projects including collaborative practice

Accountability Measures and Metrics

These tables match short- and long-term priorities for each of the four the strategic directions with measurable outcomes.

Strategic Direction 1 – Promote the advancement of interprofessional education and collaborative practice

PrioritiesMeasurable Outcomes
1-3 years
Align educational objectives within varied accrediting bodies to avoid effort duplication Map in TracDat of aligned educational objectives across programs
Explore possibilities for formal/curricular & informal/extracurricular interaction/education 1-3 Coordinated activities between Convergence and the
new SACS Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
1-3 Interprofessional Clerkships/Rotations
1 Interprofessional Volunteer Opportunity in Student Run
Clinics
1 Interprofessional Global Health experience
1-3 Student Interprofessional leadership (ILC) activities
1 Resident interprofessional activity
>3 Years - long term
Become a leader in IPE 15+ IPE Presentations from UTSW faculty/students at local, national, and international levels
15+ IPE publications by UTSW faculty/students
25+ Citations on IPE publications by UTSW
faculty/students
Minimum of 1-2 funded grants per year for IPE education and research

Strategic Direction 2 – Provide Interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education

PrioritiesMeasurable Outcomes
1-3 years
Continue to produce and support existing faculty development for trainees and faculty 85+ participants in Convergence facilitator development session
Positive post Convergence evaluations (average 4 or above on 5pt Likert scale)on small group facilitation
Produce and support new faculty development for trainees, faculty, and staff 20+ participants successfully complete (score 85% or higher) SCAETC module IPE facilitation for clinical preceptors
20+ participants successfully complete (score 85% or higher) online module on IPE available to hospital staff
>3 Years - long term
Produce and support new faculty development for trainees, faculty, and staff 10-20 clinical preceptors successfully participate in simulation training (score 85% or higher) for facilitation groups of trainees in clinical setting
Positive student evaluations (average 4 or above on 5 pt Likert scale) of clerkship preceptors, who have participated in simulation training) regarding IPE facilitation

Strategic Direction 3 – Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education

PrioritiesMeasurable Outcomes
1-3 years
Set Standards for IPE at UTSW Each IPE activity and corresponding assessment will define how it meets IPE standards as defined by UTSW.
Identify and stratify areas of collaborative practice on campus according to set standards Identify at least 3 hospital units and clinical settings that are function as models of collaborative practice at UTSW
>3 Years - long term
Increase collaborative practice on campus 10+ units and clinics listed as using a model of collaborative practice model as defined by UTSW standards

Strategic Direction 4 – Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education

PrioritiesMeasurable Outcomes
1-3 years
Support faculty and students
with innovative ideas for IPE
Successful Convergence Riddle Room activity implementation (positive knowledge gains) and evaluations from students (average 4 or above on 5pt Likert scale) and facilitators (average 4 or above on 5pt Likert scale)
Develop research opportunities Submission of 1 grant proposal for research on an IPE activity
>3 Years - long term
Improve patient outcomes (care, satisfaction, value) One funded grant per year for research with a focus on possible links to collaborative practice and patient outcomes
1-2 research publications reaching high impact with a focus on possible links to collaborative practice and patient outcomes

Conclusion

An interprofessional team of students buzzes in at the Knowledge Bowl on Convergence Day focused on Marfan syndrome.

With a new centralized role, Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) is in a unique position integrate and coordinate interprofessional education and collaborative practice at UT Southwestern Medical Center. IPE will together key stakeholders across the campus (clinical, hospital, health system) in interprofessional practice and education to implement education, practice and innovation in centralized manner in alignment with the institutional mission and goals. The four strategic directions created through the strategic planning process and described in this report will provide a clear framework for the activities and priorities of IPE for the next five years.

As outlined in these strategic directions, IPE is committed to:

  • Promote the advancement of interprofessional education and collaborative practice
  • Provide interprofessional faculty and staff development including preceptor training and continuing education to preceptors who supervise UT Southwestern students
  • Bridge the integration of collaborative practice models and education
  • Foster innovation in the area of interprofessional collaborative practice and education

This strategic plan for 2018-2023 will provide a strategic framework for Interprofessional Practice and Education for UT Southwestern to achieve its mission to prepare health professionals of the highest quality to meet the needs of the health care system in Texas through interdisciplinary education and promotion of comprehensive health care.