Interprofessional Health Education Networks in Latin America and the Caribbean

Situation Analysis and Implementation Plans in 19 Countries

Abstract

In recent years, Interprofessional Education (IPE) has been introduced into policies on human resources for health (HRH) in the countries of the Region of the Americas, predominately in the United States and Canada, but also in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has encouraged its member states to adopt this approach and support policymakers in expanding its use. PAHO’s Strategy on Human Resources for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage and its Plan of Action 2018-2023 encourages countries to promote the development of interprofessional teams in integrated health services networks using IPE, diversifying learning settings, and promoting collaborative practice. Objective: To present an overview of national IPE plans developed with PAHO/WHO support in 19 countries of LAC during 2017-2019. Method: In 2017, PAHO's Human Resources for Health Unit launched a technical cooperation strategy to support countries of the Region of the Americas in implementing IPE in their HRH policies. The strategy was mainly focused on networking, research, sharing of experiences, and activities such as international meetings, webinars, guidelines, publications, and virtual courses. Results: The Regional Network for IPE in the Americas (REIP) has been established (educacioninterprofesional.org) and 19 countries have submitted national action plans for the implementation of IPE. Overall outcomes derived from the evaluation of those plans will be presented using four dimensions: 1) Dissemination and research; 2) Faculty recruitment and development; 3) Legislation mechanisms; and 4) IPE in permanent education programs. Conclusion: International organizations have an important role to play in articulating and collaborating with countries to incorporate innovative approaches, such as IPE and interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP), directed to transforming and scaling-up health professions education towards the achievement of universal health, and to ensuring its alignment with health services demands and population needs.