Innovative Model for Promoting Interprofessional Dialogue and Action Across Healthcare Stakeholders: The ASAHP Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement Model.

BACKGROUND: The ASAHP established the Clinical Education Task Force (CETF) in 2017 to identify strategies for clinical education. Implementing the CETF recommendations requires continuous collaboration between healthcare industry and academic partners. AIM: ASAHP Regional Summits were planned and implemented to offer an active learning environment for stakeholders, strengthen translational skills, identify gaps in interprofessional collaborative practice (IPC), and create lasting networking opportunities. METHODS: The Regional Summits were organized in a standard format across three hub sites. During a virtual "Harvest" session all sites were video linked to continue the local dialogue on a national level. Outcomes were analyzed using mixed methods, including pre- and post-session surveys quantitative methods. Notes from table discussions were analyzed using a qualitative approach. RESULTS: Qualitative results offered a rich dataset from the industry and academic perspective to provide a better understanding how the CETF recommendations are being understood. Ideas for future action and partnerships were identified. Various regions contributed insights that reflect unique environments. CONCLUSIONS: The ASAHP Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement Model offers a robust and reproducible active adult learning model for IPC that can lead to change and continued engagement. These findings identify opportunities for deepening the connections made through regional hubs.

Health Professional Perspectives about the Future of Clinical Education: An ASAHP Clinical Education Committee Report.

In 2018, the Clinical Education Task Force (CETF) of ASAHP presented five recommendations to address clinical education needs. In 2019, the ASAHP Interprofessional Education Task Force (IPTF) established a regional summit for academic and industry constituents to improve health professional education and training. This article describes the steps taken to render a one-day St. Louis regional summit to receive stakeholder feedback on the nationally published recommendations for clinical education. The electronic survey was distributed to potential summit attendees about the CETF recommendations. Data categories captured included demographic details and questions about priorities, use, and engagement with the recommendations, and one open-ended question for each of the recommendations invited respondents to provide feedback. There were 349 respondents: 34% clinical preceptors/coordinators/directors, 31% academic program faculty, and 18% administrators. Common themes included the establishment of common goals between academic programs and healthcare organizations for partnership building, better recognition of the value of interprofessional collaborative practice, and technology as vital to the evolution of the healthcare system. Future directions should include regional summit meetings to address the implementation of the CETF recommendations relative to regional and localized challenges. Consensus-building efforts should address the diversity in responses relative to interprofessional collaborative efforts and clinical education research.

Job satisfaction in sport science and sports medicine, an international cross-sectional survey.

Background/Aim: Job satisfaction (JS) and professional burnout among health professionals have been shown to affect several factors: healthcare quality, patient safety, patient satisfaction, turnover/reduction of work effort, healthcare costs and other personal consequences. In general, factors that impact JS for health professionals include professional autonomy, workplace conditions, rewards/recognition, compensation and work-life balance. However, less is known about JS of professions working in sport science and sports medicine (SSSM) especially from an international perspective. This paper addresses JS among SSSM professionals in an international context. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, the Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) in SSSM survey, an online survey which included the Warr-Cook-Wall JS questionnaire for international respondents working in fields associated with SSSM, was distributed globally to persons working in SSSM. Data from 320 respondents with complete data sets from USA (n=83), Canada (n=179) and Europe (n=58) were collected. Results: High values were detected in the overall JS of the total sample with some differences in variables relevant for JS internationally and a relationship between positive perceptions of IPC and overall JS. The most important determinant for overall JS in professionals working in SSSM is the opportunity to use abilities. Conclusion: JS has an important influence on the work and services provided by SSSM professionals and experience with IPC can have a positive effect on JS which, in turn, can improve quality of life for clients, patients and professionals. Employers should regard most impactful determinants of overall JS when designing working conditions for their employees.

Transforming Interprofessional Education Through Integration with a University Core Curriculum.

BACKGROUND: Over the past several decades, enhanced health outcomes have been connected to effective collaboration among stakeholders. Academic institutions have looked to Interprofessional Education (IPE) to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. However, these programs are not often integrated and aligned with general education/core curricula at their institutions. METHODS: IPE faculty engaged in a collaborative process of integrating IPE courses and outcomes with a new university-wide core curriculum for all undergraduate students. This initiative required revising and realigning IPE courses, updating pedagogy, and developing new teaching teams. RESULTS: This process produced a Core Framework, outcomes, essential criteria, and enhanced work across the institution to align IPE competencies to university student learning outcomes. The process also strengthened IP learning as a contributing partner to the overall goals and outcomes of a St. Louis University graduate. CONCLUSIONS: The paper describes the iterative process, initial outcomes and the transformation that has occurred during the development of shared goals, shared language, broadening the dialogue and understanding of IPE at the wider university level. Aligning IPE with the Core has strengthened the IPE courses to be more highly valued across the health professions and contributed to even stronger transformational learning experiences of the students and faculty.

Is healthcare a team sport? Widening our lens on interprofessional collaboration and education in sport and exercise medicine.

Effective interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has great potential to improve healthcare delivery. Therefore, students and trainees in healthcare professions should be prepared for a collaborative workforce through interprofessional education (IPE) settings. However, IPC and IPE are rarely addressed in sport and exercise medicine (SEM), although the field significantly impacts the healthcare system. Hence, we conducted a webinar to promote IPC and IPE in the Swiss SEM community. The lessons resulting from the webinar were: (1) professions involved in SEM should have opportunities to learn, with, from and about other professions in healthcare to achieve mutual respect and understanding; (2) IPC and IPE in SEM may raise awareness, value and recognition of the contributions by exercise scientists in healthcare; (3) IPC and IPE may consider collaborating with a variety of professions not traditionally integrated into healthcare but involved in broader public health and physical activity promotion. In summary, sports and exercise professions should embrace interprofessional approaches to better realise their contribution to healthcare and public health.

Absence of Injury Is Not Absence of Pain: Prevalence of Preseason Musculoskeletal Pain and Associated Factors in Collegiate Soccer and Basketball Student Athletes.

Unlike musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries, MSK pain is rarely studied in athletes. In this study, we examined the prevalence of preseason MSK pain in apparently healthy collegiate soccer and basketball players and its relationship with previous injuries (1-year history), among other factors. Ninety-seven eligible student athletes (mean age: 20.1 (SD: 1.6) years; 43% male; 53% soccer players) completed a baseline questionnaire comprising questions related to demographics, medical and 1-year injury history and any current MSK pain and the corresponding body location. The overall prevalence of preseason MSK pain was 26% (95% CI: 17-36%) and it did not differ by sex or sport. The back (6.2%) and knee (5.2%) regions were reported to be the most frequently affected body parts for preseason MSK pain. Athletes with a previous injury and with perception of incomplete healing had 3.5-fold higher odds (OR: 3.50; 95% CI: 1.28-9.36) of baseline MSK pain compared with those without a previous injury. One in four collegiate soccer and basketball players had preseason MSK pain. Collegiate sports medicine professionals should consider conducting routine preseason evaluations of MSK pain in their athletes and initiate appropriate interventions for the prevention of MSK pain and its potential consequences among athletes.

An exploratory, cross-sectional and multi-institutional study using three instruments to examine student perceptions of interprofessional education.

Interprofessional education (IPE) research needs to expand beyond single site, single event inquiry. Multi-institutional studies increase methodologic rigor and generalizability, advancing the pedagogical science of IPE. Four U.S. institutions used three different validated measures to examine early learner interprofessional outcomes. The three assessment tools included the Communication and Teamwork subscale of the University of West England Entry Level Interprofessional Questionnaire (UWE-ELIQ), the Self-Assessed Collaboration Skills (SACS), and the Interprofessional Teamwork and Team-based Practice factor of the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised, version 2 (SPICE-R2). Across the four institutions, 659 eligible participants, representing 19 programs completed the pre-survey, and 385 completed the post-survey. The UWE-ELIQ showed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-survey overall, but the effect size was small. One institution demonstrated a positive change in scores on the UWE-ELIQ with a small effect size, while the other institutions saw no significant change. Two institutions observed lower post-survey scores on the SPICE-R2. Cumulative results from the study indicated no statistically significant change from pre- to post- in total SACS or SPICE-R2 scores. Additional multi-site longitudinal research is needed to investigate use of validated instruments, as well as the impact of curricula and learning environment on educational outcomes.

Early-learners' expectations of and experience with IPE: A multi-institutional qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Multi-institutional qualitative studies are scarce within the interprofessional education (IPE) literature; such a report would provide comprehensive evidence for the application of interprofessional instruction among earlier learners. OBJECTIVE: This investigation explored students' expectations of and barriers to introductory IPE across four institutions. DESIGN: Qualitative inductive content analysis was utilized to interpret students' narrative responses to assigned pre- and post-survey questions. SETTING: Health science schools of four U.S. institutions at Institution A, Institution B, Institution C, and Institution D. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two percent (n = 385) of eligible participants completed both pre- and post-surveys. Nursing student participation was greatest (n = 113, 33%), followed by occupational therapy (n = 44, 13%), and physical therapy (n = 36, 10%). All other program participation was <10%. In total, students' narrative comments from 19 degree programs were a part of the data set. METHODS: Responses from one pre-survey question on expectations of introductory IPE and two post-survey questions on IPE benefits and barriers were studied using qualitative inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged as IPE learning expectations and benefits: my own professional role, professional role of others, teamwork, and communication. The theme of interacting with peers surfaced as an additional IPE benefit. There were four themes noted as IPE barriers: course logistics, lack of context, course content, and social dynamics. CONCLUSION: This multi-institutional qualitative study adds to the literature by providing empirical evidence regarding early learner perceptions of IPE experiences. Student expectations and benefits of their introductory IPE course/curriculum aligned. Perceived barriers are useful in informing future IPE implementation and research.

"The Tip of the Iceberg": Commentary on Sports, Health Inequity, and Trauma Exacerbated by COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the relevance of system-level health inequities and their interplay with race in sports and athletic training, particularly during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. BACKGROUND: Health inequity is a systemic and longstanding concern with dire consequences that can have marked effects on the lives of minority patients. As a result of the unequal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the magnitude of the outcomes from health inequity in all spheres of American health care is being brought to the fore. The discourse within athletic training practice and policy must shift to intentionally creating strategies that acknowledge and account for systemic health inequities in order to facilitate an informed, evidence-based, and safe return to sport within the new normal. CONCLUSIONS: To continue to evolve the profession and solidify athletic trainers' role in public health spaces post-COVID-19, professionals at all levels of athletic training practice and policy must intentionally create strategies that acknowledge and account for not only the social determinants of health but also the effects of racism and childhood trauma on overall health and well-being.

Longitudinal Assessment of Students' Perceived Collaboration Skills at an Institution with a Structured Interprofessional Education Curriculum.

Interprofessional education (IPE) has grown in popularity in recent years, but much work remains to be done regarding its evaluation and longitudinal impact, as well as in codifying the attributes of IPE that prepare learners for "collaboration-ready" practice. The present study sought to assess collaboration skill retention or change among graduating seniors who completed an introductory IPE course in 2017, comparing present collaboration skill levels to past levels before and directly after the introductory IPE course using the Self-Assessed Collaboration Skills (SACS) instrument. Additionally, further validation of a collaboration skills instrument was conducted, and qualitative data were gathered to identify collaboration-relevant curricular design elements and generate feedback for continuous program improvement. A final sample of 106 respondents from a variety of professions provided quantitative data, while 91 provided qualitative data. Results suggested that participants retained collaboration skills over the course of their undergraduate education (i.e., 2020 levels as compared to pre-IPE levels in 2017), that IPE evaluation instrumentation requires more cross-contextual and cross-institutional validation, and that students recognize the value in intentional IPE course sequencing for clinical practice. The findings from this study contribute to the further enhancement of IPE outcomes assessment and the design of IPE experiences for fostering collaboration skills among health professional students.

Athletic trainers' unique clinical and teamwork skills contribute on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic: A discussion paper.

Crises such as pandemics create stresses on the health-care system that often produce innovation and changes in roles and delivery methods. In the current pandemic, and with the interruption of organized sport activities, athletic trainers have moved beyond traditional hierarchies and scopes of practice to roles that fully leverage their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Through background literature, discussion, and examples, this paper shows how the Athletic Training profession has made an impact in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also present key questions as the health-care system moves forward through these challenges. In the future, there could be a new paradigm in the health-care system that values athletic trainers on interprofessional teams which focus on health and wellness to improve outcomes for individuals and society.

Looking through a new lens, exploring the interdependent relationship between interprofessional education and collaborative practice with Polarity ThinkingTM.

The context of interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice (IPCP) has led to calls for greater alignment, coordination, and coalitions among education and healthcare delivery systems. One method to evaluate and improve these coalitions is the Polarity ThinkingTM framework. Polarities, such as IPE and IPCP, can represent interdependent pairs of different but complementary values or perspectives. This project investigates the IPE and IPCP polarity as perceived by educators and practitioners using survey research and an in-person summit to examine how the interdependent relationship between IPE and IPCP can support efficient, effective, and integrated care. Eighteen participants registered to attend the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) Summit on Healthcare Workforce Readiness for IPCP were surveyed in July 2018. Fifteen of the registered participants responded to the survey, which consisted of demographic questions and 16 items specific to the respondents' experiences with IPE and IPCP. The resulting Polarity Map®, generated based on responses to the pre-conference survey, showed that neither the IPE or IPCP poles were strongly supported. However, survey respondents did indicate more frequent positive outcomes with IPCP than experienced with IPE. Additionally, using the Polarity Map® as a guide, Summit participants generated action steps and early warning signs to support IPE and IPCP values. While the sample size was limited, the study can be used as an example of managing the IPE-IPCP polarity through broad engagement of stakeholders to better leverage IPE and IPCP to achieve efficient, effective, and integrated healthcare.

Utilizing Shared Expertise Across Contexts to Engage in Multi-institutional Interprofessional Scholarship.

Interprofessional education (IPE) research has grown dramatically, but it has primarily occurred at single institutions/contexts with unique assessment tools. Comparing pedagogical approaches and assessment tools across contexts and learner levels is necessary to advance the educational preparation of "collaborative-ready" health professionals. One common thread through IPE initiatives is a learning experience that introduces students to the basic tenets of professional roles, communication and collaboration. Commonly accepted objectives focus on competencies such as those defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). The IPE Research Collaborative (IPE-RC) brings together researchers from four universities that deliver introductory interprofessional learning experiences seeking to leverage this relationship to improve IPE research in support of collaborative person-centered quality healthcare. Donabedian's quality improvement (QI) model provides a framework of structure, process and outcomes for assessing and improving the quality of healthcare. The IPE-RC operationalized the IPEC competencies in their collaboration using Donabedian's QI model. They demonstrate, using a systematic approach that mirrors interprofessional practice, how researchers from multiple institutions can study learning experiences across different contexts and learner levels to inform best practice for an introductory interprofessional learning experience.

Student Perceptions of Collaboration Skills in an Interprofessional Context: Development and Initial Validation of the Self-Assessed Collaboration Skills Instrument.

An integral component of interprofessional education (IPE) is the development of a collaboration-ready health-care workforce. While collaboration is a fundamental element of IPE, there is no existing measure of collaboration skills that is not context specific. This article describes the development and initial validation of the Self-Assessed Collaboration Skills (SACS) measure. Items were initially drawn from the Collaboration Skills Assessment Tool rubric, an educational assessment tool. The SACS measure was piloted in a sample of students in an introductory IPE course. Following scale revision, the SACS was piloted a second time in a sample of students in an IPE health systems course and then validated in a sample of students in an introductory IPE course. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess scale factor structure in Pilots 1 and 2 and confirmatory factor analysis to confirm factor structure in the validation sample. Convergent and discriminant validity were also assessed. The final SACS measure is an 11-item scale consisting of three dimensions of collaboration: information sharing, learning, and team support. The SACS measure demonstrates high internal consistency and both convergent and discriminant validity as a measure of collaboration. The SACS can be implemented in any setting for assessing collaboration in clinical and nonclinical contexts.

Filling the Gaps in Adolescent Care and School Health Policy-Tackling Health Disparities through Sports Medicine Integration.

The School-Based Health Centre (SBHC) model of healthcare delivery in community health is designed to address the unique needs of adolescents. Through a collaborative interprofessional approach, they aim to provide comprehensive care with the goal of reducing health disparities in underserved, at-risk adolescents. Integration of sports medicine health professionals is a novel approach to increasing available services, as well as patient utilization, while addressing multiple public health issues, including lack of athletic training services for youth athletes.

The Dentist and the Athletic Trainer: A Winning Team for Oral Health Care.

Oral health is a key concern for student athletes. The dentist is the primary oral health care provider. Athletic trainers (ATs) are health professionals who have a primary care role for the student athlete. They are often the first to respond when dental trauma occurs in athletics. This paper informs dentists and ATs about each other and includes best practice in the care of athletes, which can be improved through interprofessional collaboration between dentists and ATs.

Institutional Readiness for Interprofessional Education Among Nutrition and Dietetics and Athletic Training Education Programs.

Organizations recommend interprofessional education (IPE) as a means of promoting collaborative patient-centered care. In turn, various external accreditors in the health professions have integrated IPE competencies into their standards. However, little is known about how athletic training (AT) and nutrition and dietetics (ND) have incorporated IPE into their educational programs. This study examined institutional factors that affect the level of IPE participation within ND and AT programs in the United States. The Interprofessional Education Assessment and Planning Instrument for Academic Institutions was distributed electronically to directors of accredited programs in ND and AT. In addition to gathering demographic information, survey questions addressed the institutions' level of involvement and commitment to IPE. Differences emerged between ND and AT programs for several items in the instrument. Factors that affected the differences included program level and academic unit in which the program resides. Results also suggest that ND and AT programs have similar levels of IPE participation, but there are great opportunities for growth. Institutional factors such resource commitment, academic unit type, and level of program may affect implementation and contribute to the development and success of IPE initiatives.

Health Care as a Team Sport?-Studying Athletics to Improve Interprofessional Collaboration.

Organizations value teamwork and collaboration as they strive to build culture and attain their goals and objectives. Sports provide a useful and easily accessible means to study teamwork. Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) has been identified as a means of improving patient and population health outcomes. Principles of teamwork in sports can inform health professionals and organizations regarding possible improvement strategies and barriers in the optimization of IPCP. Twenty-eight delegates from the 2017 All Together Better Health Conference in Oxford, UK participated in a World Café to discuss the how teamwork in sports can inform IPCP in healthcare and sports medicine. These discussions were captured, transcribed and coded using the domains developed by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) along with extrapersonal or interpersonal loci. Extrapersonal factors regarding structure of leadership, roles and organizational commitment can be positive factors to promote teamwork. However, interpersonal factors affecting communication, values and lack of commitment to collaboration can serve as barriers. Athletic trainers and other sports medicine professionals can serve as valuable members of interprofessional teams and teamwork is essential in the field of sports medicine.

Views of the United States healthcare system: Findings from documentary analysis of an interprofessional education course.

As the healthcare system of the United States becomes more complex, collaboration among health professionals is becoming an essential aspect in improving the health of individuals and populations. An interprofessional education course entitled "Health Care System and Health Promotion" was developed to allow health profession students to work and learn together about issues related to healthcare delivery, health promotion, and the effect of policy issues on key stakeholders in the system. A qualitative document analysis research design was used to evaluate the effect of this interprofessional course on students' views of the current healthcare system of the United States. Fifty-nine student articles were analysed using document analysis. Health professions represented in the sample included occupational therapy, physical therapy, athletic training, nursing, and radiation therapy, nuclear medicine technology, and magnetic resonance imaging. Eight themes were identified including: increased personal awareness, the need for a system change, concern for access, affordability of healthcare, vision for future practice role, need for quality care, the value of interprofessional collaboration (IPC), and the importance of disease prevention. The results of the study suggest that healthcare education can benefit from the integration of Interprofessional Education (IPE) courses into their curriculum especially when teaching content common to all healthcare professions such as healthcare systems and health promotion.