The development of interprofessional education and collaborative practice in Latin America and the Caribbean: preliminary observations

ABSTRACT

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization have encouraged countries across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to incorporate interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) into policies on the health workforce, and support policymakers in expanding its use. PAHO recommend countries to promote the development of interprofessional teams in integrated health services networks using IPECP. The creation of the Regional Network for Interprofessional Education in the Americas, the mobilization of a series of IPECP regional meetings, and the development of national IPECP action plans are the most promising results achieved thus far. This report describes the process of implementing IPECP in LAC countries as an innovative initiative in interprofessional health policy.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• human resources for health
• interprofessional collaboration
• universal health coverage
• Latin American And Caribbean

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

José Rodrigues Freire Filho

José Rodrigues Freire Filho. Founding member of REIP. Professor at the University of Sao Paulo. Pharmacist. PhD at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Representative of the Region of the Americas at the Global Confederation for Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice (Interprofessional Global).

Maria Neyrian de Fátima Fernandes

Maria Neyrian de Fátima Fernandes. Professor at the Nursing Department at the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Nurse. PhD at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She has experience in primary care in indigenous areas, teaching public health, mental health in nursing, academic management and health profession education.

John H.V Gilbert

John Gilbert. C.M., Ph.D., FCAHS Founding Chair of CIHC; Principal & Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre Senior Scholar.