National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education 2023: reflecting back, looking forward

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ABSTRACT

The United States (US) National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education was funded at the University of Minnesota to serve as the National Coordinating Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) in the US In 2012, the funders had specific expectations for operationalizing their vision that included scholarship, programs and leadership as an unbiased, neutral convener to align education with health system redesign. While US specific, the National Center benefited from and contributed to the international maturity of the field over the past decade. Through its various services and technology platforms, the National Center has a wide reach nationally and internationally. This perspective provides a unique view of the field in the US with observations and implications for the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Health system reform
• interprofessional collaborative practice
• interprofessional education
• interprofessional practice and education
• quadruple aim

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the past and present National Center staff members, our advisors, partners, contributors and members of the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative (AIHC) for their commitment to advancement of interprofessional practice and education. We would like to thank our funders and the University of Minnesota for their support and commitment to the National Center as a valued resource. We would also like to thank the Nexus Innovation Network members, advisors and program participants from whom we learn every day. We also acknowledge Savannah Salato for her technical support on this manuscript. Finally, we thank Madeline Schmitt, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP for serving as mentor and expert editor in the development of this paper, always pushing for new thinking.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. In 2016, the John A Hartford Foundation joined the three foundations to fund the National Center’s Accelerating Interprofessional Community-based Education and Practice Initiative.

2. Gail Jensen, PhD., Creighton University, Plenary, Nexus Summit 2021. Paraphrasing Mark Twain’s quote for IPE: “I have never let schooling interfere with my education.” September 14, 2021.

3. The use of the term “Nexus” refers to the vision for aligning practice and education. In 2020, the University of Minnesota trademarked the term, “NexusIPE,” to be used for programs and services offered by the National Center.

4. The term “people” collectively refers to patients/individuals, families, communities, and populations. The local context determines which term may be more appropriate.

Additional information

Funding

The original funders of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education are the US Department of Health and Human Services-Health Resources and Services Administration Cooperative Agreement Award No. UE5HP25067, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the University of Minnesota.Minnesota Northstar GWEP is supported by the DHHS-HRSA Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Award No. U1QHP33076, the University of Minnesota Office of Academic Clinical Affairs, and the Otto Bremer Trust.The JeffBeWell project is supported by TOBHP33104 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an operating division of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Notes on contributors

Barbara F. Brandt

Barbara F. Brandt is the founding director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education and served as the Associate Vice President for Education at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, overseeing the implementation of interprofessional practice and education programs from 2000 to 2017. She has served on the strategic advisory board of the Journal of Interprofessional Care and on the editorial board of the Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions.

Jennifer Stumpf Kertz

Jennifer Stumpf Kertz serves as the deputy director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, providing guidance and oversight for administrative, fiscal, policy and operations functions. She has served in various interprofessional academic administration roles since 2002, including the creation of an interprofessional academic infrastructure linked to practice.

Christine Arenson

Christine Arenson is the director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education and Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Prior to joining the National Center, she served in a variety of academic and practice leadership roles at Thomas Jefferson University, including founding director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care, founding co-director of the Jefferson Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, and Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has been engaged in academic-community partnerships and practice transformation at local and health system levels for over two decades.