Collaborative Health Care in Spotlight as College Again Co-Hosts Summit

Published 03.22.2013

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Amanda Dippold, a student of The Commonwealth Medical College, offers input for her group, led by Sharon K. Waters, second from right, dean of health sciences and NCPA IPEC member.Penn College emergency medical services student Daniel R. Harrison offers his professional opinion.Penn College physician assistant student Brice R. Ambron, left, listens as emergency medical services student Farhan M. Al Anazi, right, talks about his role in an emergency call.Elizabeth Dorn, a student of The Commonwealth Medical College, participates in a group discussion. The fourth annual Collaborative Care Summit – arranged by the Northeastern/Central Pennsylvania Interprofessional Education Coalition – convened at Penn College and six other higher-education sites on Wednesday. The event brought about 115 participants from a variety of majors and colleges to the Bush Campus Center, where they interacted to analyze a medical case, simultaneously learning about, from and with one another to enable effective collaboration among the professions and improve health outcomes. Sharon K. Waters, dean of health sciences at Penn College, was the Williamsport site coordinator and is a six-year member of the coalition. Participating at the Penn College site were students from Penn College, The Commonwealth Medical College, Lock Haven University and Wilkes University. Professionals – including administrators, faculty, directors, clinical coordinators, physicians and previous student participants – led small-group discussions. Eleven colleges and universities, plus the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, are part of the coalition, which was founded in 2008. In total, 681 students and 122 facilitators were involved in Wednesday’s case study at the seven college and university sites.