Achieving social accountability through interprofessional collaboration: The Canadian medical schools experience

Abstract

Social accountability in the health professions is increasingly recognized as a necessary foundation for delivering effective healthcare. Inter- and intra-professional collaboration is critical to the process in order to transform intent into action. This article outlines the three-year program undertaken by a national collaboration among all 17 Canadian medical schools and their partners as they engaged in a journey leading to the incorporation of social accountability in an interprofessional context as the cornerstone of healthcare education and practice. An overview of the various dimensions of this project is discussed in order to shed light on how a national initiative in collaboration with local initiatives can synergistically work toward a common goal. Successes and challenges in working on a national level are reviewed with implications for future directions for interprofessional collaboration in healthcare based upon principles and values of social accountability.

Toward Defining and Measuring Social Accountability in Graduate Medical Education: A Stakeholder Study

“…24,25 Canadian medical schools have adopted a social accountability mandate, using the World Health Organization's definition: ''The obligation to direct [medical school] education, research, and service activities towards addressing the priority health concerns of the community, the region, and the nation's [medical schools] have a mandate to serve.'' 16,26 Canada developed several nationwide initiatives that partner academia with the community and the government to address the needs of the Canadian population. 27,28 Even in Canada, however, individual institutions' responses to the social accountability movement have varied because of the broad framework used to define social accountability activities.…”

Strengthening District Health Care System through Partnership with Academic Institutions: The Social Accountability of Medical Colleges in Nepal

“…14 SA is gaining momentum throughout the globe to ensure quality health service at local level. [15][16][17][18] With the social accountability of medical schools, challenges 6,13,19 also arise for undergraduate and postgraduate programs expanding beyond its traditional tertiary care models. Critical areas of attention include the institutional culture, human, physical and financial resources, and support for educational activities.…”

“…SA in health professions is increasingly recognized as a foundation for delivering effective healthcare. 6 Beside this, there has been evaluation of this concept which addresses many key aspects of its successful implementations. [7][8][9][10] WHO country office Nepal is keen to support and facilitating this concept.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] WHO country office Nepal is keen to support and facilitating this concept. As the global consensuses on social accountability of medical schools are rising, 11,12 even seeking impact of medical schools on health, 6,13 Nepal is not far behind. There has been meetings and workshops, being conducted to sensitize and make aware policy makers and concerned stakeholders.…”

Leadership in Community Partnerships: South African Study and Experience

“…Such initiatives frequently take the form of partnerships that address community health needs and lay the basis for long term health planning (5). Indeed collaborations among health professions and other partners assist in engaging all stakeholders in a socially accountable manner as the foundation of healthcare education and practice (6). Unsurprisingly, in building empowering interprofessional efforts, partnerships have become a central plank in health and social care, and university-community partnerships have been employed for their combined synergy (7).…”