How to build high-quality interprofessional collaboration and education in your hospital: the IP-COMPASS tool

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important contributor to ensuring interprofessional collaboration and, ultimately, improving the quality of health care. However, there is a gap in available resources on critical success factors for implementing intentional interprofessional learning experiences. The Interprofessional Collaborative Organizational Map and Preparedness Assessment (IP-COMPASS) is a quality improvement framework that provides a structured process to help health care organizations become better prepared to offer IPE. Essentially, it is designed to increase understanding of the attributes of organizational culture that can create an environment that is conducive to interprofessional learning. The IP-COMPASS was developed on the basis of a systematic multimethod approach to accessing existing knowledge and then tested for utility, feasibility, and validity. This article tells the story of the development and testing of the IP-COMPASS.