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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 23 S E P T E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 3 F O C U S H E A L T H C A R E / W E L L N E S S patient outcomes and satisfaction and reduced provider burnout. "ere's a movement nationally to break down those silos and train students to work as part of interprofessional teams," Herbert continues. "at's a key piece to why we're moving our medical school to Portland — because even though we're living the model, we can't fully realize it with the medical school being on one campus and the other health disciplines being on another campus." Maine's major hospital systems have endorsed the project. "ere's tons of data going back decades that interprofessional practice gives people the best outcomes in health care," says Douglas Sawyer, MaineHealth's chief academic officer. "Creating a professional practice requires interprofessional training." Interprofessional education "Most health settings are working toward team-based practices," says Shelley Cohen Konrad, director of UNE's Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice. "Our intention is to prepare stu- dents not only to be fabulous practi- tioners in their own fields but to be really skilled team players no matter what team they're on." Collaboration across professions is "a really powerful addition to their learn- ing," says Cohen Konrad. "Interprofessional education" at UNE means that students have the opportu- nity to work with other health profes- sions including but not exclusive to osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, physicians associates, dental hygiene, social work, nursing, and physical and occupational therapy. UNE has been putting the concept into practice for more than a decade. But having the medical college on one cam- pus and the rest of the health profession programs mostly located in Portland has made it difficult to bring together students from both programs. To date, UNE's strategies to foster intermingling between the Biddeford and Portland programs have included students traveling between the two campuses and, since 2020, using more virtual technology. But that leaves behind day-to-day interactions that are important in the health care professions. "Adding the new building and the medical students and faculty and staff in one physical space will allow us to not only do our formal programming together but have the opportunity have social and informal connectedness that cements a culture of collaboration," says Cohen Konrad. Patient benefits Collaboration is important for stu- dent growth and development, says Jane Carreiro, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and a 1988 graduate. "When people are sharing resources, sharing libraries, sharing study spaces — that informal cama- raderie develops," says Carreiro. "It's much easer for someone to take that sense of camaraderie and connection and transfer it into their practice as a clinician, because they've already had that experience as a student." Ultimately, it's the patient who bene- fits. Typically, health professionals operate in silos, even speaking different medical languages at times, says Carreiro. "You get into a lot of situations where there's confusion, lack of communica- tion, misunderstanding," says Carreiro. But when students of various disci- plines train together, it opens the lines of communication — ultimately helping patients and their families. "Each health care practitioner has a different piece of the system," says Carreiro. "But we all have to talk with each other." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz Most health settings are working toward team-based practices. — Shelley Cohen Konrad University of New England P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W E N G L A N D Shelley Cohen Konrad

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