Twelve tips for delivering successful interprofessional case conferences

Abstract

Interprofessional case conferences (ICCs) offer an interactive, practical way to engage members of two or more health professions in discussions that involve learning and working together to improve patient care. Well-orchestrated ICCs provide opportunities to integrate interprofessional (IP) education into routine clinical practice. The authors provide 12 tips to support the conceptualization, planning, implementation, facilitation, evaluation, and sustainability of ICCs. They draw from extensive experience as IP educators and facilitators of ICCs and from literature on IP education, case-based learning, small-group facilitation, peer-assisted learning, and learner engagement – all of which offer insights into ICCs but have not been integrated and applied to this context.

Acknowledgements

Support for the San Francisco VA Center of Excellence for Primary Care Education is provided by the Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations. The authors wish to acknowledge Terry Keene for early contributions to the 12 tips; Calvin Chou, Laurie Kalter, and members of the UCSF educational scholarship works in progress group for review and feedback on the manuscript; and SFVAMC CoEPCE faculty, staff and learners who have participated in development and delivery of ICCs.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Funding

Support for the San Francisco VA Center of Excellence for Primary Care Education is provided by the Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations.

Notes on contributors

Bridget C. O’Brien, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine and educational researcher in the Center for Faculty Educators at UCSF. She also directs scholarship and evaluation in the Center of Excellence in Primary Care Education (CoEPCE) at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).

Shalini Patel, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and also serves as the Community Based Outpatient Clinic Site Director of the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Meg Pearson, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF. She serves as core faculty in the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Abigail Eastburn, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF. She is also the UCSF Internal Medicine Residency Ambulatory Site Director for the San Bruno VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic, and she serves as core faculty for the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Gillian E. Earnest, MS, is the data manager/statistician for the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Anna Strewler, MS, AGNP, is an assistant professor at the UCSF School of Nursing Department of Community Health Systems. She is also the Nurse Practitioner Co-Director of the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Krista Gager, MS, AGNP, is an assistant professor at the UCSF School of Nursing Department of Community Health Systems. She is also the Associate Nurse Practitioner Director of the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Jennifer K. Manuel, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCSF and the Associate Director for Psychology in the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Maya Dulay, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF and the Associate Director of Clinical Education in the CoEPCE at the SFVAMC.

Melissa R. Bachhuber, MD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco and the Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the SFVAMC, where she also serves as core faculty in the CoEPCE.

Rebecca Shunk, MD, is a professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF and the Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the SFVAMC where she is the Co-Director of the CoEPCE.