Introduction
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts, and behaves with others. Children with ASD often have complex needs that require coordinated care from various professionals across different settings. However, there are many challenges and barriers to effective interprofessional care for this population, such as lack of training, communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making among providers.
In this paper, the authors propose a novel approach to enhance interprofessional care for children with ASD by enhancing interprofessional competencies among providers. Interprofessional competencies are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable providers to work together effectively as a team. The authors describe a framework for developing and assessing interprofessional competencies, based on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies and the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) competencies. They also provide examples of how these competencies can be applied in practice, using case scenarios from their own clinical experience.
Developing Interprofessional Competencies
The authors suggest that interprofessional competencies can be developed through interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP). IPE is the process of learning with, from, and about other professions, while IPP is the process of working with other professions to provide integrated and coordinated care. The authors recommend that IPE and IPP should be aligned with the IPEC core competencies, which are:
- Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice: respect the roles, responsibilities, and values of other professions, and maintain ethical principles in interprofessional interactions.
- Roles/Responsibilities: understand one’s own role and the roles of other professions, and use this knowledge to optimize team performance and patient outcomes.
- Interprofessional Communication: communicate effectively and respectfully with other professions, using appropriate methods and tools.
- Teams and Teamwork: apply the principles of team dynamics, leadership, and collaboration to achieve common goals and improve quality of care.
The authors also suggest that IPE and IPP should be guided by the IPCP competencies, which are:
- Patient/Client/Family/Community-Centered Care: involve patients, families, and communities as active partners in the care process, and respect their preferences, values, and needs.
- Interprofessional Communication: communicate clearly, timely, and accurately with patients, families, communities, and other professions, using shared language and terminology.
- Role Clarification: clarify and respect the roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice of each profession, and recognize the contributions and limitations of each profession.
- Team Functioning: participate in team activities, such as planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, and foster a positive team climate and culture.
- Collaborative Leadership: demonstrate leadership skills that facilitate interprofessional collaboration, such as vision, direction, empowerment, and feedback.
- Interprofessional Conflict Resolution: identify, prevent, and manage conflicts that arise among team members, and use constructive strategies to resolve them.
Assessing Interprofessional Competencies
The authors emphasize that interprofessional competencies should be assessed regularly and systematically, using valid and reliable methods and tools. They propose a three-level model for assessing interprofessional competencies, based on the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation. The three levels are:
- Level 1: Reaction: measure the satisfaction, attitudes, and perceptions of learners and providers regarding IPE and IPP activities.
- Level 2: Learning: measure the acquisition and retention of knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to interprofessional competencies.
- Level 3: Behavior: measure the application and transfer of interprofessional competencies to practice settings and patient outcomes.
The authors provide examples of assessment methods and tools for each level, such as surveys, quizzes, portfolios, simulations, observations, and feedback.
Applying Interprofessional Competencies in Practice
The authors illustrate how interprofessional competencies can be applied in practice, using two case scenarios from their own clinical experience. The first case involves a 4-year-old boy with ASD who receives services from a multidisciplinary team of providers, including a pediatrician, a psychologist, a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist, and a special educator. The second case involves a 10-year-old girl with ASD who receives services from a transdisciplinary team of providers, including a developmental pediatrician, a nurse practitioner, a social worker, and a behavior analyst. The authors describe how the providers in each case demonstrate interprofessional competencies, such as:
- Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice: respect the child’s and family’s preferences, values, and goals, and adhere to ethical standards and codes of conduct.
- Roles/Responsibilities: understand and appreciate the roles and contributions of each profession, and refer to each other as needed.
- Interprofessional Communication: communicate effectively and respectfully with each other and the family, using common language and terminology, and documenting the care process.
- Teams and Teamwork: work together as a cohesive and collaborative team, sharing information, resources, and responsibilities, and supporting each other’s professional development.
- Patient/Client/Family/Community-Centered Care: involve the child and family as active partners in the care process, and provide family-centered and culturally responsive care.
- Interprofessional Communication: communicate clearly, timely, and accurately with the child and family, using appropriate methods and tools, and ensuring mutual understanding and consent.
- Role Clarification: clarify and respect the roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice of each profession, and recognize the contributions and limitations of each profession.
- Team Functioning: participate in team activities, such as planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, and foster a positive team climate and culture.
- Collaborative Leadership: demonstrate leadership skills that facilitate interprofessional collaboration, such as vision, direction, empowerment, and feedback.
- Interprofessional Conflict Resolution: identify, prevent, and manage conflicts that arise among team members, and use constructive strategies to resolve them.
Conclusion
The authors conclude that interprofessional care is an essential approach to enhance care for children with ASD, and that interprofessional competencies are key to enable effective interprofessional collaboration. They propose a framework for developing and assessing interprofessional competencies, based on the IPEC core competencies and the IPCP competencies. They also provide examples of how these competencies can be applied in practice, using case scenarios from their own clinical experience. They hope that their paper will inspire and inform other providers who work with children with ASD and their families, and encourage them to pursue interprofessional education and practice opportunities.
FAQ
What is the difference between multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams?
A multidisciplinary team is a team of professionals from different disciplines who work independently and provide separate services to the same client. A transdisciplinary team is a team of professionals from different disciplines who work collaboratively and share roles and responsibilities to provide integrated services to the same client.
What are some of the benefits of interprofessional care for children with ASD and their families?
Some of the benefits of interprofessional care for children with ASD and their families are:
- Improved access to comprehensive and coordinated services across different settings and sectors.
- Enhanced quality and continuity of care, based on shared goals and plans.
- Increased satisfaction and empowerment of clients and providers, based on mutual respect and trust.
- Reduced duplication and fragmentation of services, leading to more efficient and effective use of resources.
What are some of the challenges and barriers to interprofessional care for children with ASD and their families?
Some of the challenges and barriers to interprofessional care for children with ASD and their families are:
- Lack of training and education on interprofessional competencies and collaboration among providers.
- Lack of communication and information sharing among providers, due to different languages, terminologies, and documentation systems.
- Lack of collaboration and shared decision-making among providers, due to different roles, responsibilities, and scopes of practice.
- Lack of support and incentives for interprofessional care, such as funding, policies, and infrastructure.
How can interprofessional competencies be developed and assessed among providers who work with children with ASD?
Interprofessional competencies can be developed and assessed among providers who work with children with ASD through interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP). IPE is the process of learning with, from, and about other professions, while IPP is the process of working with other professions to provide integrated and coordinated care. The authors of the paper propose a framework for developing and assessing interprofessional competencies, based on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies and the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) competencies. They also provide examples of assessment methods and tools for each level, such as surveys, quizzes, portfolios, simulations, observations, and feedback.
What are some of the examples of interprofessional care models for children with ASD?
Some of the examples of interprofessional care models for children with ASD are:
- The Autism Treatment Network (ATN), which is a network of hospitals, physicians, researchers, and families that aims to improve the medical care of children and adolescents with ASD.
- The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), which is an early intervention program that integrates applied behavior analysis (ABA) and developmental and relationship-based approaches for children with ASD.
- The School-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Intervention (SASI), which is a school-based program that involves a transdisciplinary team of educators, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and behavior analysts to provide individualized and comprehensive services for students with ASD.
What are some of the skills and attitudes that are essential for interprofessional collaboration?
Some of the skills and attitudes that are essential for interprofessional collaboration are:
- Respect: valuing and appreciating the diversity, expertise, and contributions of other professions and clients.
- Communication: listening actively, expressing clearly, and exchanging feedback constructively with other professions and clients.
- Teamwork: cooperating, coordinating, and sharing responsibilities with other professions and clients to achieve common goals.
- Leadership: initiating, facilitating, and supporting interprofessional collaboration, and empowering and motivating other professions and clients.
- Conflict resolution: identifying, preventing, and managing conflicts that arise among professions and clients, and using constructive strategies to resolve them.
How can families and communities be involved in interprofessional care for children with ASD?
Families and communities can be involved in interprofessional care for children with ASD by:
- Participating in the screening, assessment, and diagnosis of ASD, and sharing their concerns, observations, and preferences.
- Engaging in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of care, and providing feedback and input on the goals and outcomes.
- Collaborating with the interprofessional team, and communicating their needs, expectations, and experiences.
- Accessing and utilizing the available services and resources, and advocating for their rights and interests.
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