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‘Should we oppose or embrace an expanded role for interdisciplinary professionals within C-L Psychiatry?’
Further ACLP Board discussions on whether the Academy should expand its membership inclusivity are likely following a workshop debate at CLP 2022.
The forum for debate is the workshop Non-physician professionals and the Academy of C-L Psychiatry: Making controversial connections.
Moderator will be Liliya Gershengoren, MD, MPH, who chairs the Academy’s Interdisciplinary Education Subcommittee, and among presenters is ACLP Board director Paul Desan, MD, PhD, FACLP.
The debate will center on whether ACLP should open its membership to non-physician health care professionals who are members of interdisciplinary teams caring for patients.
“Today, C-L psychiatrists often lead collaborative teams of non-physician providers with a wide range of educational and vocational backgrounds, including psychology, nursing, social work, advanced practice providers, and others,” says Dr. Gershengoren. “Models such as collaborative care and proactive consultation require enhanced interdisciplinary education and teamwork skills building.
“Important priorities for our organization to discuss are understanding potential roles, responsibilities, and gaps in knowledge of different team members and developing leadership skills. Strengthening interdisciplinary education is even more important as the ACLP plans to ensure the diversity, and equity and inclusion, of all members.”
The workshop, staged by the Interdisciplinary Education Subcommittee, will discuss how other physician-led organizations have approached interdisciplinary membership and education, the current ACLP approach, and potential recommendations.
“We welcome a healthy debate as to whether the ACLP should expand membership inclusivity and greater pursuit of interdisciplinary education for non-physician health care professionals and what next services, research, and organizational steps are necessary to achieve our goals,” says Dr. Gershengoren.
“This workshop will include ample opportunity for audience contributions to debate whether to incorporate interdisciplinary health care professionals into the ACLP and discuss ideas for curricula for interdisciplinary health care professionals.”
Workshop presenters
Dr. Gershengoren will review benefits and potential pitfalls in considering expansion of the Academy’s membership and identify unmet educational needs for non-physician providers based upon a review of literature and professional training programs.
Dr. Desan will discuss the experience of multidisciplinary collaboration within palliative care.
Further speakers are:
Much of the workshop, however, will comprise audience contributions, brainstorming opportunities, sample questions, and discussion.
“Consideration of an expansion in membership for non-physician health care professionals and the development of interdisciplinary educational resources remain important priorities for our organization,” says Dr. Gershengoren. “The focus of this workshop is for whom the ACLP is the professional home. Should we oppose or embrace an expanded role for interdisciplinary professionals within C-L Psychiatry?”