Interprofessional Educational Needs for Shared Governance of Integrated Care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Policy
• Social Work Education

Background:

• Integrated care models are crucial for improving healthcare and social care service delivery.
• Understanding the specific educational needs of professionals in these sectors is vital for effective implementation.
• South Korea's public sector faces unique challenges in coordinating care across diverse services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the educational requirements of integrated care professionals in South Korea's public healthcare and social care services.
• To identify priority educational needs based on core competencies such as person-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and community involvement.
• To differentiate between common and profession-specific educational needs for various roles within integrated care.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted.
• Data were collected from 210 integrated care professionals across 10 metropolitan communities.
• The Borich Needs Assessment Model and Locus for Focus Model were employed to determine priority educational needs.

Main Results:

• Key educational needs were identified across competencies including person-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and community involvement.
• Common educational needs were found for community care administrators, care coordinators, healthcare and social care providers, and community health champions.
• Specific educational needs were detailed for each professional role, offering content for integrated care implementation.

Conclusions:

• The study offers a comprehensive understanding of integrated care professionals' educational needs, linked to their competencies.
• Professionals expressed a strong desire for improved interprofessional cooperation via networking and collaborative strategies.
• The findings provide foundational data for developing evidence-based education programs for integrated care professionals.