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ABSTRACT
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with a population of 6.8 million is a low middle-income country in Southeast Asia. Despite economic development, Lao PDR is still characterized by a weak health system. The Ministry of Health has launched health reforms to provide better health services and University of Health Sciences (UHS) plays an essential role in Human Resources for Health (HRH) reform. Especially, the importance of its role in training health professionals from entry-level to continuing education has been increased. In 2016, the UHS embedded an Interprofessional Education (IPE) concept into a pre-qualifying course, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Gunma University Centre for Research and Training on IPE. As a pilot study, some students from faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing, and Medical Technology participated in a community-based IPE program. Results suggested that students participating in the IPE program showed more positive attitudes toward collaborative practice than students who did not participate in the IPE program. Based on the results, the UHS is planning to develop an IPE program for health workers. In this article, we describe the strategic international collaboration and discuss the keys to successful IPE planning and implementation in line with HRH reform.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Bumsuk Lee
Dr. Bumsuk Lee is a professor at Gunma University. He received his PhD degree from Gunma University, Japan. He is involved in interprofessional education and occupational therapy education in Asia.
Ketkesone Phrasisombath
Ketkesone Phrasisombath is a senior lecturer at University of Health Sciences, Laos. He is involved in health system and medical educational development in Laos. Dr. Phrasisombath received his PhD degree from Karolinska Institue, Sweden.
Hiromitsu Shinozaki
Hiromitsu Shinozaki, M.D., Ph.D., is a professor in the Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Japan. His current research areas of interest are the area of interprofessional education and collaborative practice and women’s health.
Phouthone Vangkonevilay
Dr. Phouthone Vangkonevilay has over 15 years work experience in Human Resources for Health management, especially on long and short-course training of Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development for Health Personnel in health care system in Laos.
Ketsomsouk Bouphavanh
Dr. Ketsomsouk Bouphavanh is a senior lecturer at University of Health Sciences, Laos, especially in the area of Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development . He is also involved in the development of Lao family medicine training progam at University of Health Sciences.
Khamphanh Prabouasone
Khamphanh Prabouasone is a senior lecturer at the University of Health Sciences, Laos, and has over 20 years teaching experience in the area of community medicine. He supervises medical students and especially for the community fieldwork program and practices in rural community.
Outhip Sounthavong
Dr. Outhip Sounthavong is a senior lecturer at the University of Health Sciences, Laos, and has over 30 years teaching and working experience in the area of management and medical education. He received his Master Degree in Pharmacy from Germany.
Yoshiharu Tokita
Yoshiharu Tokita MT PhD, is a member of the WHO Collaborating Centre (JPN-89) responsible for the international IPE training course. His research interests are in the area of IPE as well as clinical chemistry as a medical technologist.
Takatoshi Makino
Dr. Takatoshi Makino is an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Health Sciences at Gunma University, a member of the WHO Collaborating Centre. His research interest has been focused on understanding how to evaluate the efficacy of IPE.
Hiroki Matsui
Hiroki Matsui is a faculty member in the Department of Laboratory Sciences at Gunma University. He has over 20 year’s experiences as a Laboratory Scientist and educator. Dr. Matsui received Bachelor's degree, Master of health sciences and Ph.D. in Medicine.
Takayuki Saitoh
Dr. Takayuki Saitoh is a faculty member in Graduate School of Health Sciences at Gunma University. He has over 20 years experiences as a hematologist and clinical educator. Dr. Saitoh received his PhD in medicine.
Fusae Tozato
Dr. Fusae Tozato is a member of the Faculty of Health Science at Nagano University of Health and Medicine. She has over thirty years of experience as an occupational therapist and clinical educator. Dr. Tozato received her Bachelor's degree in mathematics, Master, and PhD in Disability Science.
Akinori Kama
Professor Akinori Kama, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Interprofessional Education, Gunma University, Japan. Experienced for public health research in South East Asia as Executive Officer of the World Health Organization/SEARO and Government of Japan for 40 years.
Hideomi Watanabe
Hideomi Watanabe, MD PhD, is a specialist in Orthopaedic Surgery and is Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Interprofessional Education, Gunma University.