April is National Interprofessional Healthcare Month, and we are celebrating by focusing on the importance of interprofessional communication and collaboration. Collaboration between professionals from different backgrounds is essential for providing high-quality, patient-centered care. It improves communication, removes barriers to care, and helps to understand patients’ needs better. National Interprofessional Healthcare Month was first observed in 2016 in its declaration at the 2016 National Academies of Practice Forum in Baltimore, Maryland.
Interprofessional practice is when doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers work together to deliver quality care to patients. It's important because it helps us get better outcomes for our patients by providing them with a team approach to healthcare. The WHO (2010) defined the collaborative interprofessional practice as "a process of working together across professional boundaries." This means that different professionals from different fields work together to deliver care—not just in one setting but across multiple settings like hospitals or clinics.
Interprofessional practice is beneficial for everyone involved in healthcare because it allows for better communication between all parties involved in providing quality care. By learning how each member of your team communicates differently with patients or other medical professionals, you can improve interactions between them all while also improving patient satisfaction levels.
The key to making this a reality is getting everyone involved –patients, families, caregivers, and communities –to work together to address local healthcare needs.
During the month of April, focus your practice on promoting interprofessional communication and collaboration. The goal is that your initiation of interprofessional practice will continue throughout your profession, thus enhancing the quality of care for all. Happy National Interprofessional Health Care Month!