Interprofessional education program administration: the key to collaborative, successful and sustainable...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) programs often face sustainability challenges.
• Complex coordination burdens academic faculty, especially with inadequate administrative support.
• Current centralized or decentralized IPE models do not guarantee program longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the pivotal role of support administrators in operationalizing IPE.
• To demonstrate how administrative support enhances the sustainability and quality of IPE.
• To identify core functions and best practices for IPE support administration.

Main Methods:

• Discussion article analyzing the operationalization of IPE.
• Identification of seven core areas of focus for IPE support administration.
• Illustration of administrative roles through three case studies.

Main Results:

• Support administrators with advanced skills add significant value to faculty efforts.
• Effective administrative support is crucial for cost-effective and sustainable IPE delivery.
• The study outlines practical principles and practices for IPE operationalization.

Conclusions:

• IPE support administrators are essential for program sustainability and quality.
• Investing in skilled administrative support is a cost-effective strategy for IPE.
• The identified core areas and case studies offer a framework for institutions seeking to operationalize IPE.