Background

The pressure on the European health care system is increasing considerably. Drivers for that are a rising numbers of elderly people and patients with chronic diseases in need of (rehabilitation) care, a diminishing work force and increasing health care costs. One possible measure to counteract this development is improving interprofessional and person-centred collaboration between health and social care professionals, since this can shorten how long patients need to stay in hospitals or rehabilitation centres. 

Project content 

The objective of the project is knowledge transfer from tertiary education to practice through interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) in rehabilitation. Although IPECP is a promising approach, there is currently still a gap between competence levels of future professionals leaving tertiary education and the levels needed in rehabilitation practice. The INPRO project aims to close this gap: From beginners to experienced health and social care professionals, from each other they will learn how inter-professional and person-centred communication can make patient care more practical.
The project strengthens regional bonds between higher education institutions and rehabilitation centres in order to align IPECP. Promising approaches are regionally piloted in both education and rehabilitation practice, and adapted for use in other regions. Field visits allow professionals to exchange experiences.

Exchange of experience across countries and learning levels

In order to support the transition from higher education to practice, rehabilitation centres and universities will work closely together regionally and Europe-wide over the next three years. Together, a series of modules ranging from basic to advanced skills of inter-professional and person-centred cooperation is to be developed. The WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) serves as a unifying scheme of thought. 
Special focus is placed on the exchange of experience between practitioners, teachers, students and clients. Through regional projects in both education and rehabilitation practice, practical approaches are tested for their effectiveness and Europe-wide applicability. The aim is to develop both a teaching concept that covers the entire course of study and professional practice, and guidelines for the establishment and operation of an inter-professional learning station in a rehabilitation centre run by students.

Results

The project provides the following outcomes: 

• Basic and advanced modules on functioning (according to the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) 
• (Assessment) tools on interprofessional skills training. 
• Learning materials, across the spectrum from modules on theory to guidelines on how to set up and run a student-run interprofessional learning ward in a rehabilitation centre 

All outputs are published on the INPRO-website  and made available for implementation in tertiary education and lifelong learning in health care practice. 

Partnership Netherlands –Belgium- Finland- Austria

In the project St. Pölten UAS combines its expertise with its partner universities HANZE Groningen (NL- Projektlead), Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen (BE) and JAMK University of Applies Sciences (FI). Project partners Moorheilbad Harbach (AT), rehabilitation center Revalidatie Friesland (NL) and Coronaria Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services (FI) contribute practical experience.
The project idea originated from the strategic partnership IMPECD.

The sustainability and quality assurance of the project is supported by the external partners ENPHE,  EIPEN, EFAD,  COHEHRE, IPCIHC ("Interprofessional Collaboration In Health care") from Belgium, , the Lower Austrian Health and Social Fund (NÖGUS) , the Finnish Patient Representation of People with Disabilities and the Dutch Health Manager Klaus Boonstra.