Inaugural meeting on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice

The inaugural meeting on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice was convened at the Pan American Health Organization office of Caribbean Program Coordination on March 30-31, 2009. The meeting was held within the context of examining strategies for renewing primary health care in the CARICOM region with a focus on the determinants of health. The emphasis of this meeting was on health workforce development in training and practice. Meeting participants included representatives from the World Health Organization, Geneva, US and Canadian-based stakeholders, CARICOM regional academic programs in medicine, pharmacy, public health, nursing and the allied health sciences. CARICOM bodies representing the practice sector included the Regional Nursing Body, the Caribbean Association of Medical Councils, the Caribbean College of Family Physicians and the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists.

The goals of the meeting were to discuss concepts of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPE-CP) and to examine the utility of IPE and CP as strategies for renewing primary health care and achievement of the MDGs in the CARICOM region

The meeting also highlighted existing models of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPE and CP), including those in the CARICOM region and allowed participants to share experiences evidence and information on good practices in IPE and Collaborative Practice. At the end of the meeting participants reached consensus on the development of pilot models of CARICOM-based IPE as strategies for renewing primary health care and achievement of the MDGs within the CARICOM cultural context.