Health Care Team Challenge: A Versatile Model for Interprofessional Education

Abstract

The Health Care Team Challenge TM (HCTC) is an innovative, versatile, low cost interprofessional (IP) learning activity that is used to simulate "real-life" team based problem solving. The HCTC model can easily be adapted to meet core competencies for collaborative care in all health professions programs. Key characteristics of a HCTC are described and one example of how the HCTC model has been successfully implemented is highlighted. The HCTC is a clinical cased-based competition between two or more interprofessional teams of students representing at least two health and social service disciplines (6-8 is ideal). Student participants receive the initial patient scenario at least one week, preferably 2 to 3 weeks, in advance of the live event. Teams are instructed to work collaboratively to formulate a patient-centered plan of care. On the day of the event, the teams present their plan in front of a live audience of faculty, peers and community members. Then, teams are presented with additional information relevant to the case, challenging each team to adjust its management plan to incorporate the new information. Additionally, teams are asked to respond to "process questions" such as, "How did your team resolve conflicts?" and "What do you view as the strengths of your team?" Teams alternate in the presentation of the care plans and responses to team process questions. At the conclusion of the event, teams are evaluated by an IP panel of judges that may include the patient or family member, faculty, and / or a practicing community-based interprofessional care team. An "audience choice award" may also be presented. Teams are judged on both the quality of the management plan and the level of collaboration as illustrated by responses to the team process questions. All team participants, judges, and event sponsors receive recognition for their involvement. Winning team members may also receive prizes or scholarship funding.

Principles for Developing an Interprofessional Education Curriculum in a Healthcare Program

“…Performing this inventory may increase insight into patient contact opportunities and consequently the importance of being represented as part of the collaborative effort. Performing a thoughtful inventory of possible patient contacts may also increase diversity of the healthcare approach and increase positive patient outcomes in the long run [9].…”

“…This is especially relevant for undergraduate students in the first year of a healthcare curriculum. Also, by initially focusing more so on short-term patient goals for their respective healthcare discipline, the student will have greater insight into establishing realistic longer term goals [9].…”

“…This 19 item questionnaire measures attitudes about teamwork, collaboration, professional identity, roles and responsibilities [9].…”

Interprofessional Education Enhancement: Inclusion of Occupational Therapy

“…The curricular unit was intentionally designed to be interactive. Interactive learning opportunities in IPE have been considered vital to develop teamwork, knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding a variety of healthcare disciplines (Richardson, Gersh, & Potter, 2012). The OT consultant, with the help of another OT, taught the final curricular unit in March 2018.…”

Internationalisation of curriculum at home: Imperatives, opportunities and challenges for allied health education

“…• Liaising with local cultural/ethnic groups (Garfinkle, 2007) • Using migrant/refugee/ethnic groups in the home country to provide different perspectives (Lattanzi & Pachak, 2012;Useh, 2011) • Using diversity on campus to encourage cultural lunches, debates, competitions, mentoring (example, domestic students mentoring international students) (Leask, 2009) • Buddies/mates programs, attendance and participation in cultural events on campus (Leask, 2009) • Peer assisted study sessions, study support groups organised by teacher and student services support departments (Leask, 2009) • intra and inter-university competitions, for example, the Healthcare Team Challenge (Richardson, Gersh, & Potter, 2012) • Encouraging allied health student volunteers to plan and conduct major events on campus and facilitating increased interaction between students from different cultures A further issue to consider when using informal curricula or co/extracurricular activities as means for the development of intercultural competencies is how to assess the development of such skills. If these co-curricular activities are not mandatory it is difficult to guarantee participation of all graduates and assess or measure achievement of outcomes (Leask, 2009).…”