This lightning talk presents an innovative advancement in practice-education partnerships, termed the LEAP Champion model, which serves as a call to our IPE academic and health system players to partner in the nexus to authentically prepare a collaborative practice-ready workforce. Significant gaps exist in understanding the opportunities and challenges in implementing interprofessional education (IPE) in the clinical learning environment (CLE). Academic institutions face barriers in implementation due to a lack of knowledge and control within the practice setting, and practice settings face barriers without system-level support and expertise in IPE design. Not surprisingly, research supports the value of explicit partnerships between higher education and health organizations to advance IPE competency in the authentic CLE to prepare learners for collaborative practice.
LEAP Champion clinical and academic presenters will share lessons learned and outcomes specific to their organization, as well as opportunities and next steps following completion of the LEAP Champion role. In partnership with three local health organizations, the UMN Center for Interprofessional Health (CIH) launched an innovative academic-clinical partnership model designed to leverage and support IPE Champions employed within health systems. Rooted in the successful implementation of LEAP IPE experiences (Learning through Engaging Actively in Practice), the LEAP Interprofessional Champion model offers a structured, cohort-based approach to design explicit, sustainable, coordinated integration of learners from a variety of health professions into on-site, authentic IPE experiences. Over one academic year, CIH provided a stipend-based framework for champions to advance their health system’s IPE portfolio with guidance and resources from CIH and each other.
Quadruple Aim outcomes are embedded in the model, with LEAP learning objectives including engaging actively and with integrity in the team, communicating and listening, understanding/reflecting on roles and responsibilities, and integrating diverse team perspectives - including the patient’s - in decision-making, as well as learner/provider belonging.
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to:
1. Compare LEAP Interprofessional Champion model concepts to one’s own institutional strategies aiming to bridge the nexus between interprofessional education and practice, identifying at least 1 current facilitator and 1 barrier.
2. Identify at least 3 similarities and differences in the implementation challenges/opportunities presented by three health systems, reflecting upon the system-level factors impacting advancement of IPE in the clinical learning environment.
3. Select at least 1 actionable component of the LEAP Interprofessional Champion model to explore in one’s own academic or health system.
