University of Michigan School of Nursing Dean, Kathleen Potempa, calls for increased collaborative education for health science students in the Wall Street Journal.
“Students who learn in communities of practice are a step ahead for work in collaborative, accountable care,” writes Potempa. “Schools must deal with logistical challenges to interweave curricula, but obstacles can be overcome with, for example, web-based clinical team simulations—and the will to do so. Facilitating the sharing of processes and views among health science students creates trust, and the understanding that each profession’s contribution is equally important…
Health care has become more complex and more expensive. To be efficient and effective, every care provider must be able to work to their fullest skills and abilities. This means greater collaboration and no duplication of effort. Collaboration requires that each profession understands, respects, and fully utilizes the knowledge, skills, and abilities of other professions. It requires that health-care teams work seamlessly together and communicate clearly to patients, families, and each other…
All the health professions are important for better access to care, quality, and safety. If patients so clearly benefit from the interaction of a team in their care, just think about the potential for health systems in national policy.”