Key Strategies for Sustaining an Interprofessional Continuing Education Program

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional teamwork is critical for effective care of patients in the current healthcare environment. Continuing Education providers are best positioned to teach healthcare professionals about interprofessional teamwork and the need to shift their programs from single-profession-based to interprofessional-based continuing education. Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education incentivises continuing education providers to plan and deliver education “by the team, for the team” with the goal of improving healthcare outcomes through integrated learning. This brief report assesses a single, large academic medical centre’s sustainment and growth of interprofessional continuing education after implementing Joint Accreditation. Here, we share relevant data and program reviews for a four-year period after shifting from a continuing education to an interprofessional continuing education program and discuss the numerous practical strategies that can help education programs prepare for and sustain interprofessional goals to ensure teamwork advances and support better delivery of care. Our analyses support that interprofessional continuing education can be advanced and sustained through effective, regular program reviews that systematically reflect on interprofessional continuing education activity data and stimulate ongoing prioritisation. Key strategies that we believe contributed to our success include integrating interprofessional continuing education in an organisation’s culture by maintaining its strategic priority and visibility among organisation leaders and stakeholders, adaptation of planning processes and education design, and utilising technology. Implementing some or all of these strategies may help other continuing education providers implement and sustain interprofessional continuing education programs.

Introduction

Continuing education (CE) in the health professions is an important field that aims to ensure healthcare professionals (HCPs) and interprofessional teams remain up-to-date, competent, and effective in their caregiving strategies. Thus, CE is relied upon as a valuable and essential part of healthcare. At its core, CE strives for healthcare providers to close practice gaps and continue learning as medical diagnostics and treatments evolve, with the goal being that implementing learned content in practice will improve efficacy, efficiency and patient outcomes. Achievement of these goals depends upon evidence-based CE design that is independent from commercial influence. Accreditation of CE is the mechanism to assure these standards are met and that outcomes are assessed [1–4].

The delivery of quality healthcare continues to evolve into a team-based approach instead of an individual provider approach and has been driven by broad efforts to optimise safety, efficiency and outcomes of clinical care [5–7]. Effective teamwork requires that distinct interprofessional (IP) competencies be applied within a wide range of clinical and hospital settings [8]. Similar to optimising individual care practices, the optimisation of IP competencies in practice is a continual, learned process. Thus, the evolution of team-based approaches to healthcare has been met with a parallel movement in CE to promote development of interprofessional continuing education (IPCE). IPCE designed “by the team, for the team” is an effective strategy to meet the needs of care teams in the current healthcare environment and improve IP patient care [9]. Joint Accreditation (JA) for IPCE emerged in 2009 as a response to the need for advancing teamwork in healthcare through education, bridging the silos of single-profession CE programs [10]. JA is the only IPCE accreditation program globally that unites medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physician assistants, dentistry, psychology, optometry, social work, athletic training, and dietetics into a single process. JA simplifies and adds efficiency to the accreditation process, while simultaneously advancing IPCE in the learning environment as providers shift programs from CE to IPCE. The need to shift healthcare CE to team-based education is underscored by the consistent growth of JA; whereas there were 75 JA providers in 2018, there are 184 JA providers as of August 2025 [11].

Since JA is relatively new and growing with the continual addition of new providers, there is a need to investigate not only how to transform into an effective IPCE program, but also how an IPCE program can be sustained over time. While accreditors have shared educational materials on the goals of their standards and offered examples of compliance on their websites, and professional CE-focused associations have provided education on IPCE strategies and best practices in conferences, there is a scarcity in the literature of providers demonstrating how CE programs that transformed to IPCE can be sustained [12–14]. However, given the critical and valuable role educators play in advancing teamwork in healthcare, provider-based data and approaches to sustaining JA is needed in the literature to help the education community recognise best practices and strategies to the ongoing management of an IPCE program. This brief report will share data and results from one academic medical centre’s CE program monitoring and best practices identified for sustaining IPCE.

Materials and Methods

We analysed data from a single academic medical centre’s (Cleveland Clinic) CE annual program reviews over four years after launching an IPCE program and obtaining JA. Annual program reviews are conducted to monitor offerings and assess outcomes, achievement of goals, and alignment with the centre’s CE mission. Part of this process is to ensure the minimum threshold of IPCE activity offerings (25%) to maintain JA is met on an ongoing basis and review progress of advancing the IPCE strategy. The program reviews were compiled from 2021 to 2024 (since date of obtaining JA to the most recently completed regulatory reporting year) to catalogue data on activities and participation, and to identify notable highlights from each year’s CE program. Trends observed and elements that were instrumental in steering development and sustainment of IPCE over time are described.

Results

JA status has led to a significant increase in the number of IPCE activities in our CE program. Our CE department was granted JA in 2021, with 26.6% of activities (825 of 3,092 activities over the required 18-month period) meeting IPCE criteria in our initial JA application. In both 2022 and 2023, this percentage remained relatively stable, with 26.4% and 26.8% of our department’s activities meeting IPCE criteria (Table 1). However, the overall number of IPCE activities increased by 13% in 2023 (n = 694) compared to 2022 (n = 614; Table 1). Our CE department experienced a large increase in IPCE activities in 2024 (n = 954), representing a 37.5% increase compared to 2023.

Table 1.

Activity offerings.

Year	Total Activities	Interprof. Cont. Education (IPCE) Activities	IPCE %	Professional Credits Offered						Total Credit Opportunities	Multi-Credit Activities
				Medicine (AMA)	Nursing (ANCC)	Pharmacy (ACPE)	PA (AAPA)	Social Work (ACE-SW)	Psychiatry (APA)
2021	2,107	560	26.6%	1,841	261	0	5	0	0	2,107	3
2022	2,327	614	26.4%	1,611	1,442	99	421	7	0	4,194	760
2023	2,589	694	26.8%	1,518	1,896	299	629	66	0	5,102	9,62
2024	2,758	954	34.6%	1,689	2,260	589	941	121	9	6,563	1,344

In addition to steady growth in IPCE activities, there has been a marked increase in the number of activities offering multiple credit types and in the total number of credit opportunities available. This upward trend reflects a strengthened commitment to meeting the educational needs of healthcare team members across many disciplines (Graph 1).

Graph 1.

Activity trends.

In parallel with our program’s increase in IPCE activities over the past few years, there have been large increases in the diversity and volume of participants. Between 2022 and 2024, there was a 15.7% increase in physician participants (163,685 to 189,417). Alternatively, there was a 97.5% increase in nursing participants (103,950 to 205,310), 328.3% increase in pharmacist participants (1380 to 4531), 9.8% increase in physician assistant (PA) participants (26324 to 28,901), 249.5% increase in social worker participants (693 to 1729), 173.3% increase in psychiatric participants (131 to 227), and 201.4% increase in “other” participants (99,204 to 199,764) (Table 2). Additionally, non-physicians persistently accounted for a higher percentage of overall participants in CE activities over these years, reaching 70% in 2024 (Table 2).

Table 2.

Participation.

		Participant Professions
Year	Total Participants	Medicine	Nursing	Pharmacy	PA	Social Work	Psychiatry	Other	Physicians	Non-Physicians
2021	273,684	137,200	NA*	NA*	NA*	NA*	NA*	136,484	137,200	136,484
2022	394,938	163,685	103,950	1,380	26,324	693	131	99,204	163,685	231,682
2023	517,408	165,405	168,804	2,768	28,256	1,182	169	150,823	165,405	352,002
2024	629,879	189,417	205,310	4,531	28,901	1,729	227	199,764	189,417	440,462

* Data not tracked in initial application year.

New activity evaluation questions were incorporated into the activity outcomes process for IPCE activities after obtaining JA. Those results are analysed on an activity and annual program review basis. Since obtaining JA and transitioning to an IPCE program, our results from 2022 to 24 showed that 98% of learners agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “This activity will help me be a more effective member of the healthcare team”. Additionally, review of open-ended responses to the prompt “Please provide 1–2 examples of how this activity will impact you as a member of the healthcare team and/or changes you intend to make” identified key themes in reported practice changes that are expected to improve team-based care (Table 3).

Table 3.

Qualitative themes in reported team-based changes (2022–2024).

Application of Evidence-Based Practices in Team Settings (48,842 comments, 44%)	Participants reported intentions to apply updated guidelines and protocols collaboratively, ensuring consistency across teams. Examples included stroke protocols, COVID-19 updates, and chronic disease management strategies.
Improved Communication Within Teams (47,100 comments, 43%)	Learners frequently mentioned intentions to “communicate better”, “assure whole team is on the same page”, and “cascade information to my team”. Responses emphasized clearer communication with patients, families, and colleagues.
Enhanced Collaboration and Coordination (7,592 comments, 7%)	Many participants noted they would “collaborate better”, “work closely with other healthcare providers”, and “coordinate care more effectively”. There was a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork, especially in complex care scenarios like stroke management, COVID-19 response, and chronic disease care.
Empathy and Professionalism in Team Dynamics (4,706 comments, 4%)	Responses reflected a deeper understanding of the importance of empathy, respect, and psychological safety within teams. Many learners committed to fostering inclusive, respectful, and culturally competent team environments.
Leadership and Engagement (1,643 comments, 1%)	Learners expressed increased confidence in leading team discussions, sharing knowledge during huddles, and engaging in strategic planning. Leadership development was a recurring theme, especially in responses from nurses and department managers.

Our CE department also implemented numerous strategies to maintain awareness and encourage development of IPCE activities based on data from annual program reviews beginning in 2022. Table 4 highlights strategic actions, notable successes, challenges, and trends observed for each year’s annual program review. Highlights include:

• Implementation of a continuous improvement approach to processes, tools, and business models

• Recurring prioritisation on IP design and implementation as well as collaboration and alignment with organisational stakeholders

• Annual increases in activities and participants to highlight goal achievement and interprofessional dimensions of our organisation’s program.

Table 4.

Annual program review highlights.

Year	Strategic Actions	Successes	Challenges	Key Trends & Insights
2021	- Submitted Joint Accreditation (JA) application and completed interview − Achieved JA with Commendation − Trained team on new requirements − Implement IP evaluation for IPCE activities − Updated systems and processes	− Enabled IPCE activity tagging - Updated applications, credit claiming, disclosures, and other areas for new accreditation	- Time-intensive adaptation to new standards − Complexity from simultaneous implementation of new standards − High effort to maintain team engagement and preparedness	N/A – newly accredited under JA
2022	− Continued team training on JA and new standards − Enhanced leadership oversight − Communicated JA status and IPCE concepts − Increased meetings with JA Committee for alignment and training	- Improved team and stakeholder awareness of JA/IPCE − Strengthened collaboration and alignment	- System tagging for IPCE not fully utilised, requiring backtracking − Missed opportunities for interprofessional activities − Increased workloads and resistance to change - Fewer large program activities, requiring closer trend monitoring	− 26% increase in activities − 44% increase in participants
2023	− Refined processes and implemented monthly IPCE review - Established multi-tiered review for alignment and professional development - Launched communications campaign for multi-professional activities − Leveraged JA committee for professional input − Improved system efficiencies	- Real-time activity tagging reduced end-of-year workload − Greater understanding and identification of IPCE opportunities − Enhanced planner engagement and data reporting	− Ongoing process refinement required − High team and leadership involvement − Continued decrease in large program activities − Enterprise restructuring added complexity − Increased workloads	− 11% increase in activities − 31% increase in participants − Slight decrease in physician credit activities - Shift from online to in-person education - Increase in nursing education and multi-professional audiences
2024	− Transitioned planners to clinical areas − Revised accreditation fees to encourage interprofessional planning − Continued stakeholder communication − Used prior activity data to inform planning − Ongoing system and process updates	− Significant growth in interprofessional activities and stakeholder engagement − Improved process understanding − Enhanced system efficiencies − Consistent monthly IPCE monitoring	− Continued decline in large program activities − Enterprise restructuring − Increased workloads	− 7% increase in activities (mostly in-person) − 22% increase in participants - High number of “Other Learners” suggests opportunity to expand accreditation and improve learner data collection

Discussion

Since achieving JA status, our CE department has successfully sustained and expanded a thriving IPCE program, exceeding the goal of ≥25% IPCE activity offerings annually. In fact, since transforming from a CE to IPCE program, growth in activities and participation has surpassed our expectations. Our data suggests that sustaining our IPCE program stemmed from a multifaceted approach that addressed organisational stakeholder interests and values, while welcoming innovation and leveraging technology to systematise and automate as much as possible.

Through analysis of annual program data, reviews, strategic actions, and priorities, numerous key elements emerge that we believe contributed to development and sustainment of IPCE and may be strategies that other CE providers can utilise for IPCE program success. These include:

1. Continuous Organizational Commitment: Building and reinforcing an organisational framework is essential for sustaining an IPCE program. This includes ensuring persistent leadership awareness and alignment of interprofessional education as a core mission. Additionally, there was a priority to establish a clear governance structure with representation from all relevant health professions part of the IPCE program, defining roles and responsibilities for IPCE implementation, and creating policies and procedures that guide the program’s operations.

2. Ongoing Training of CE Staff and Activity Directors: IPCE implementation and sustainment is supported by regular training on IPCE design, IP competencies, accreditation requirements, and best practices. Embedding such education into onboarding, reserving time in team meetings for professional development, encouraging participation in professional CE association education and focusing on accomplishments related to these in annual employee reviews empowers CE staff to guide education planning and integrate IP competencies into content design. Frequent dialogue reinforces priorities, clarifies goals/expectations, addresses challenges, and fosters application of IPCE themes. Similarly, sustained efforts to educate activity directors about IPCE’s value through informal conversations and education about IPCE standards during initial activity planning and design are key to promoting adoption of IPCE activity development.

3. Consider IP needs in CE activity planning: As not all CE needs to be IPCE, it is important to assess whether interprofessional teamwork applies to the educational goals during initial needs assessment. CE team members should prompt and guide clinical content planners at the onset, ensuring content is designed with the team in mind when appropriate. Early consideration of IPCE enables prompt assembly of an appropriate planning team representing all professions involved in the education intervention and optimises chances of a successful and valuable activity.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Awareness: Engaging stakeholders across the organisation interested in developing or overseeing IPCE activities is vital for success. This includes healthcare professionals who are content experts, educators, and senior leaders, thus creating a network of support, oversight and endorsement of IPCE as an organisational priority. Outreach activities, such as newsletters, educational sessions, and formation of a committee to regularly review and dialogue about organisational IP needs maintains awareness and stimulates IPCE programing.

5. Innovation and Adaptation: To remain effective, the program must be adaptable and open to innovation, such as adjusting business models and integrating new technologies, methods, and best practices into education planning. Regular content reviews ensure relevance to changing needs of healthcare teams. Leveraging technology to streamline planning and tracking, such as electronic CE planning with integrated IP prompts, automating acquisition of professional demographics and evaluation with IP assessments for reporting to accreditation databases eases administrative burden. While implementing IPCE, we discovered that some professions lacked formal CE business models. CE fees were often barriers, prompting implementation of fee reductions and discounts for interprofessional activities helped support multi-profession participation and incentivised IPCE development.

6. Evaluation and Impact Assessment: Regular evaluation and impact assessment are critical for understanding activity and program-wide effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement. Collecting data on activity-based outcomes and the program’s overall impact provides valuable insights on application of learning. Data analyses can be used to make conclusions about activity goal attainment, remaining needs for future planning, and to demonstrate the program’s value to stakeholders.

7. Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement is essential for sustained IPCE success. Organisations should approach process refinement as an ongoing journey, implementing regular feedback mechanisms that engage participants, planners, stakeholders, and CE staff to ensure adaptation to changing needs. Keeping feedback channels active maintains IPCE’s visibility and reinforces its importance among key stakeholders. Refining implementation processes is critical for addressing new challenges and streamlining workflows, which sustain program growth.

8. Annual Program Review: Implementing this formalised mechanism, which is the source of data for this report, is an opportunity to intermittently reflect on goal achievement, program/activity outcomes, and challenges. It allows providers to stay vigilant and proactively respond to shifts in program metrics. Additionally, they provide an avenue for reporting to all stakeholders, including senior organisational leadership. Their regularity fosters consistent responsiveness, and organisations can better ensure their programs remain relevant, effective, and adaptive to evolving needs of learners and the healthcare environment.

Limitations of this work include that key elements are a single academic medical centre provider’s experience and may not be generalisable to other provider types. Additionally, some of our priorities and goals may be unique to our organisation’s culture.

Notably, although the overall number of IPCE activities increased in 2023 compared to 2022, the overall percentage of IPCE activities was stable during these 2 years (~26.4%). In our opinion, this suggests CE providers need to be patient when attempting to transition from a CE to IPCE program. Although early, persistent, and effective strategies aimed at transitioning from CE to IPCE are paramount for success, it should be recognised that educating stakeholders and experiencing actual change will take time. Additionally, effectively communicating IPCE’s value and persuading stakeholders to adopt IPCE activity development is a cultivated skill, often requiring an initial “trial and error” period before effective strategies can be routinely implemented.

In summary, IPCE is essential for strengthening teamwork in today’s healthcare environment. Transforming a CE program into an IPCE program is only the beginning. Long-term impact requires sustained commitment and integration of IPCE into the learning environment. Achieving JA can catalyse this transformation, but maintaining it demands ongoing organisational support, stakeholder buy-in, and strategic collaboration. Relationship building, continuous educator training, and regular program reviews are key to embedding IPCE principles into a CE program. Ultimately, IPCE improves team-based care, which reflects IPCE’s value and spotlights the vital role educators play in advancing healthcare delivery.