Training Course on Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare Teams

Module 1: Foundations of Interprofessional Collaboration
Subtopics:
Definition of interprofessional collaboration and its role in modern healthcare.
Distinction between multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary teamwork.
WHO framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice.
Patient safety and quality outcomes linked to collaboration.
Barriers to collaboration: hierarchy, cultural differences, resource limitations.
Activities/Examples:
Icebreaker: Participants share past experiences (positive/negative) of teamwork in healthcare.
Mini-case: Analyze how lack of collaboration led to medical errors in real-world cases.
Self-assessment: Participants reflect on their teamwork and communication style.

Module 2: Roles and Responsibilities of Healthcare Professionals
Subtopics:
Scopes of practice: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and community
health workers.
Addressing overlap of roles and reducing professional silos.
Building respect and appreciation across disciplines.
Case-based role clarification in chronic and acute care.
Role of patients and caregivers as team members.
Activities/Examples:
Team Mapping Exercise: Chart roles and contributions of each profession in the care of a diabetes patient.
Case Study: Interprofessional collaboration in maternal and child health.
Role Play: Negotiating roles in an emergency room scenario.

Module 3: Communication and Teamwork Skills
Subtopics:
Frameworks for communication: SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), closed-loop communication, and TeamSTEPPS.
Active listening, empathy, and feedback skills.
Leadership styles in interprofessional teams (shared, rotating, situational).
Conflict management and negotiation techniques.
Importance of psychological safety in fostering open communication.
Activities/Examples:
Simulation: Handoff communication between nurse and physician using SBAR.
Role Play: Managing conflict between a pharmacist and physician over medication safety.
Team Exercise: Identify communication breakdowns in a case study of ICU care.

Module 4: Collaborative Care Models and Practices
Subtopics:
Collaborative care approaches:
Patient-centered medical homes.
Integrated primary care models.
Accountable care organizations (ACOs).
Hospital rapid response teams.
Shared decision-making with patients and families.
Leveraging digital health for collaboration: EMRs, telehealth, team dashboards.
Examples of successful team-based interventions: reducing readmissions, improving chronic disease outcomes.
Activities/Examples:
Case Study: Role of interprofessional teams in reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.
Workshop: Build a collaborative care plan for a cancer patient involving physicians, nurses, social workers, and nutritionists.
Tech Demo: Explore how EHRs support interprofessional teamwork.

Module 5: Sustaining and Evaluating Interprofessional Collaboration
Subtopics:
Measuring team effectiveness: tools and indicators (team climate inventory, patient outcomes, staff satisfaction).
Embedding interprofessional collaboration into organizational culture.
Continuous professional development and team-building interventions.
System-level strategies: policy, accreditation, and funding that support teamwork.
Scaling interprofessional collaboration to community and population health.
Activities/Examples:
Capstone Project: Teams develop a comprehensive collaborative care plan for a patient with multiple chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes + depression +
cardiovascular disease).
Group Presentation: Share the care plan and justify roles, responsibilities, and communication strategies.
Reflection Session: Discuss strategies to sustain interprofessional collaboration in participants’ workplaces