Van solo naar synergie: Handboek voor interprofessionele praktijk, onderwijs en onderzoek

From solo to synergy provides an overview of interprofessional collaboration within the healthcare and welfare sector. In this handbook, 24 Belgium and Dutch experts from practice, education and research describe various interrelated aspects surrounding the development of interprofessional collaboration: applicable theory, case studies, and research questions.

Interprofessional collaboration concerns the optimal combination of knowledge and skills from different professional groups. This is necessary when complex issues exceed our own skills or when different professionals serve the same patient or client. Naturally, the needs, wishes and demands of the patient or client form the starting point for that collaboration.

Uniqueness and dedication to our own profession determine the extent to which our professional competencies are important to us. This does not mean that these competencies are always optimally used or shared. Our interprofessional identity and interprofessional competencies are also important, as well as the complementary dedication of others around us and their competencies in order to enable an optimal joint outcome together. In addition, infrastructure and implementation strategies are required to achieve synergy between professional groups. The more all these factors are promoted, the more their interplay contributes to integrated care, cost-effectiveness, accessibility of care, less turnover, more health and more well-being.

From solo to synergy shows how this synergy can be achieved based on the Flemish-Dutch version of the Meta-Model of Interprofessional Development. This model provides an informed roadmap for developing interprofessional practice, education and research.