Implementing Interprofessional Care in Ontario Report now available on the Health Force Ontario website

Interprofessional Care is the provision of comprehensive health services to patients by multiple health care professionals who work collaboratively to deliver the best quality of care in every health care setting. It encompasses partnership, collaboration and a multi-disciplinary approach to enhancing care outcomes and is the cornerstone of the HealthForceOntario strategy. (HealthForce Ontario, 2010)

Patients and caregivers in Ontario, how can interprofessional care benefit you?

Working collaboratively to place patients and families at the centre of the health care system enhances care delivery for the patient and contributes to improved job
satisfaction for the health care provider. (IPCSIC final report)

• Trend data indicates that Ontario faces a significant reduction in its health human resources workforce by 2010.
• Unless new ways of practising health care are introduced, Ontario will face a significant shortage of health care workers and Ontarians will risk receiving sub-optimal care.
• The education system needs to prepare current and future providers to work in multi-disciplinary, collaborative, team-based models.
• Interprofessional care can help improve patient care while increasing provider satisfaction within a respectful and collaborative environment. (Health Force Ontario)

In August 2007, the IPC Project delivered its report Interprofessional Care: A Blueprint for Action in Ontario . To implement key elements from the report, The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care established the Interprofessional Care Strategic Implementation Committee (IPCSIC), whose mandate ended in December 2009.

Read the IPCSIC final report, Implementing Interprofessional Care in Ontario: Final Report of the Interprofessional Care Strategic Implementation Committee presented to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in May.

What are your thoughts on this report?

Professionals and organizations, are you trying to find ways to introduce or implement collaborative practice - across Canada, not just in Ontario? Patients and caregivers, what do you hope to get out of care from collaboration between health care professionals?

Share your comments below.