Person-centeredness is essential to holistic health care and requires collaboration of healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. The University of Colorado (CU) delivers a one-credit Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) course for 650 first-year students from dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, and physical therapy programs. This course develops IPEC competencies related to communication and teaming skills, central to which is a person- and community-centered approach, with an emphasis on advocacy. To integrate and highlight patient perspectives, we integrated CU Geri-Educators—older individuals who specialize in educating students, faculty, and healthcare professionals about aging, geriatrics, and gerontology—into our longitudinal curriculum to enhance student learning and align with campus-wide initiatives.
This Lightning Talk will describe the integration of Geri-Educators to bring person- and community-centered care perspectives into IPCP, a 7-week hybrid course combining in-person and online elements. IPCP course objectives include team development, structured communication, interprofessional problem-solving and quality improvement, and collaborative approaches to person-centered care. Students engage in discussion boards, didactic modules, and team-based activities including clinical cases, interprofessional care coordination, and communication role-play to explore the importance of teamwork and collaboration in delivering patient-centered care.
The Geri-Educator initiative, part of the CU Multidisciplinary Center on Aging, aims to improve care for older adults by integrating relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes into education and clinical practice campus-wide. Recognizing the unique opportunity to bring the patient voice to life in our IPCP classrooms in an innovative way, our IPE team partnered with the Geri-Educator initiative to integrate Geri-Educators into IPCP student team activities, where they share lived experiences and patient perspectives on interprofessional care.
We assessed achievement of course objectives through formative and summative assessments and post-course evaluations including quantitative and qualitative data. 92% of students reported that Geri-Educators provided patient perspectives, and 60% rated the extent of Geri-Educators' contribution to their learning as 7 or higher on a 10-point scale. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses revealed that Geri-Educators provide impactful patient and healthcare system experiences and helpful insights on care. Geri-Educators and IPE facilitators also rated this course innovation positively.
This innovation may be replicable at other institutions, and we will offer tangible suggestions and lessons learned.
This submission fulfills priority criteria by engaging patient and community perspectives, presenting quantitative and qualitative data on learning outcomes, and improving health of underserved geriatric populations. It addresses a conference theme by describing innovative integration of patient and community perspectives into the IPE classroom.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (National Center OICPD). The National Center OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
The National Center OICPD (JA#: 4008105) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs).
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Learners can claim CE credit by completing the Daily Evaluation.
