THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION:
The next iteration of healthcare in our nation will feature team-based, interprofessional clinical services within organized systems of care. This approach represents one of the underlying foundations of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as numerous recommendations by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. APA appreciates the long-term significance of this evolution, which was a high personal priority for former APA President Susan McDaniel. Jim Diaz-Granados, Executive Director of the Education Directorate: “The Education Directorate recognizes the value of interprofessional education and training (IPE). This is evidenced by our active participation in a number of interprofessional organizations.” The increasing utilization of telehealth (i.e., telepsychology), as well as other transformational advances (apps, virtual realities, social networks, etc.) that are occurring within the communications and technology fields will ultimately revolutionize healthcare. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) proposed “E-Passport,” based upon the enactment of an Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) by the various state legislatures, is the future. Our sincerest appreciation for the most impressive vision of their CEO Steve DeMers.
For psychology to effectively engage in these uncharted waters, it is critical that our State Associations provide critical leadership by exposing their members to our colleagues in a wide range of healthcare disciplines, such as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), Clinical Pharmacists, Physician Assistants (PAs), Optometrists, Clinical Social Workers, etc. prior to needing to work collaborative with them in the state legislative and administrative arenas. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently projected that the supply of primary care NPs will increase by 30%, from 55,400 in 2010 to 72,100 in 2020; primary care PAs will increase by 58%, from 27,700 to 43,900 over the same period. Fortunately, we are increasing aware of academic colleagues who are working within the training institutions of other healthcare disciplines, beyond that of medicine.
Karen Pellegrin: “It’s a great time to be a psychologist in a College of Pharmacy. Over a decade ago, the Institute of Medicine [now NAM] identified working in interdisciplinary teams as one of the core competencies essential for all healthcare professionals. More recently, accreditors of pharmacy programs and other health education programs have made interprofessional education a requirement. At the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, being the only clinical psychologist on the faculty gives me so many opportunities to introduce pharmacy students to key aspects of human behavior. The first cohort of pharmacy students has begun taking coursework in our new certificate programs. As program coordinator for the Healthcare Leadership Certificate program, I teach them about the Yerkes-Dodson law of human performance, actions leaders can take to improve performance at the individual and organization levels, how organizational culture can be measured and improved, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to managing their personal finances (so that they can pay off their student loans and save enough to be able to retire some day!).”
Developing these relationships is so important I might consider donating to the American Psychological Foundation (APF) in recognition of the first one or two State Associations that understand its significance. Update: Beth Rom-Rymer reports that the prescribing license announcement just appeared on the website of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. An application is expected in the very near future. Aloha,
Pat DeLeon, former APA President – Division 31 – June, 2018
