Table 1. Summary of different collaborative education and service delivery models.
Models
Definition
Education
Interprofessional education
Students from multiple disciplines learn about, from, and with each other's disciplines. The intended outcome is effective collaboration and quality of care for clients (patients) when students begin professional practice.
Multiprofessional education
Students from multiple disciplines enroll in a course, but no specific interactions are encouraged. The intended outcome is related to learning content of course.
Cross-training education
Students from several different disciplines learn content (knowledge, skills, tasks) of one of those disciplines, taught by a professional from that discipline. The intended outcome is for students from all disciplines to learn knowledge and skills of the target discipline.
Service Delivery
Interprofessional practice
Two or more professionals collaborate together, without any perceived hierarchy, and with the full understanding of each others' roles and responsibilities, to improve the client's (patient's) outcomes and care.
Multiprofessional practice
Two or more professionals work independently in parallel, or sequentially, with one another to improve the client's (patient's) outcomes and care.
From: Interprofessional Education and Interprofessional Practice in Communication Sciences and Disorders: An Introduction and Case-Based Examples of Implementation in Education and Health Care Settings. Edited by Alex Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP.